Coronavirus Information and Updates

Franklin University Switzerland strongly encourages the entire Franklin community to complete their COVID vaccinations. Vaccinations are covered by Swiss health insurance. In Ticino, you will be able to sign up for Pfizer/Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna. Vaccination appointments are scheduled through a portal and you will receive a text message with your confirmed appointment date and location.

Below are a few Apps to help students manage their COVID-related documents (vaccination and tests), support contact tracing, stay updated about conditions for European travel, and register at restaurants or other establishments. Students are encouraged to download these Apps to facilitate their new life in Switzerland and in Europe.

Swiss COVID App

Please download the Swisscovid app (for Android or iPhone), which is explained in this short video. This is now mandatory for all staff, teachers, and students to trace contact within our campus. Your participation will help keep our entire community safe.

Swiss COVID Certificate App

Switzerland launched the COVID Certificate App (COVIDcert App) to document when an individual has been vaccinated for COVID-19, recovered from COVID-19, or has a negative Swiss COVID test result. Students are encouraged to download the Swiss COVIDCert App from iTunes or Google Play.

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) mandates that individuals present a COVID Certificate in order to enter large events, discos, and nightclubs. In addition, certain events with no seating requirement may require individuals to present a COVID Certificate for entry.

If a student was vaccinated outside of Switzerland, it is possible to obtain a Swiss COVID Certificate with a QR code if the vaccination meets the following conditions:

• the vaccine is approved in Switzerland. View the list of COVID vaccines recognized in Switzerland in the COVID Vaccination FAQ document on this site.
• the vaccination is complete (for example it includes the number of doses according to the recommendations of the FOPH).

In order to validate a foreign vaccination and receive a Swiss COVID Certificate, a student must send the following documents to the Ticino Cantonal doctor’s office (Ufficio del medico cantonale) dss-umc@ti.ch.

• pdf scan or a clear copy of the student’s identity document (i.e.: passport)
• pdf scan or a clear copy of the student’s Swiss residence permit
• pdf scan or a clear copy of the student’s document certifying their vaccination

Contact the Coordinator of Student Medical Services and Well-Being if you have additional questions medicalservices@fus.edu.

Re-Open EU App

The Re-Open EU App provides information on the various measures for travel to EU countries to help travelers plan their trips in Europe while staying safe and healthy. Franklin recommends students download the Re-Open EU App to help understand the requirements for travel within Europe.   

SocialPass App

The Swiss SocialPass App is an application for organizers and restaurants to manage customer attendance and registration if required by authorities. Download the SocialPass App and scan the QR code at the restaurant or other establishment to register your

The Fall 2021 semester will begin on August 23 as scheduled, and Franklin will finally be resuming in-person classes! 
(Please check the academic calendar for dates and details.)

We are very excited to welcome you back to campus in the fall and to resume in-person classes. Although social distancing continues, Franklin's international family will soon be able to reunite, meet face to face, and experience the many learning opportunities of the Franklin curriculum in presence.

We know that some of you might have to quarantine upon your arrival, but your professors are working hard to guarantee an effective learning experience to all the students. Please make an effort to communicate directly and in a timely manner with your professors and inform them if you are in quarantine.

IMPORTANT: students returning from these countries will have to quarantine for ten days upon the arrival.  Keep in mind that quarantine may not be necessary in the case of a full COVID-19 vaccination recognized by the federal government. Franklin recommends that all students take the Swiss TravelCheck prior to arrival to Switzerland to verify conditions for their entrance. Rest assured, Franklin is by your side in the case of quarantine, making sure you are comfortable in your dorm room, are eating well, and staying connected.

Safety Precautions

To help ensure the safety of our community, we have implemented several safety precautions. This includes the frequent and rigorous cleaning of common areas and classrooms. We have numerous stations for disinfecting your hands. Please make good use of them. Likewise, you will see indications for keeping a distance of 1.5 meters from others. Please be sure to follow these directions when on campus.

Masks are required in the indoor common areas (including classrooms, Library, WLC, computer labs, dining areas, hallways, shared lounges, and kitchens, etc.) and where social distancing cannot be observed effectively outdoors. This is also true outside the campus, in Switzerland masks remain compulsory in public transportation, restaurants, and shops. For purposes of sustainability, please bring at least one mask with you. Ideally, it will be reusable/washable.

Check out the handy videos the Swiss government has provided on wearing and caring for masks effectively here:

How to wear a face mask correctly

How to use a fabric face-covering correctly

Academic Travel

Fall 2021 Academic Travel is scheduled to begin in October. All groups will be traveling as planned within Europe and all students traveling outside of Switzerland are required to be fully vaccinated. Please know we are doing our very best to balance your safety, that of the faculty, and the integrity of the Academic Travel experience. As always, your professors are going above and beyond to make this experience meaningful and enriching.

Additional Measures:

• Cleaning: Common areas and classrooms are being regularly and rigorously cleaned with alcohol-based products.
• Disinfectant stations: We have installed numerous stations for disinfecting your hands – use them often.
• Social distancing reminders: You will see indications around campus for keeping a distance of 1.5 meters from others. We understand you have a lot on your mind so these reminders will help.
• Air quality is being tested via simulation software designed in Switzerland, called SIMARIA.

Continue to the next sections for more important information.

Dining: Services will continue to operate in compliance with the directives of the federal authorities. Students will be asked to stagger their eating times in order to avoid lines and crowds. We have room for 43 people in the NC Dining Hall so that community members can eat in socially-distanced groups of 2, 3, or 4. Take-away is also available. For those in self-quarantine: meals will be delivered to on-campus residences if you purchase a meal plan. The Franklin app also has links for great places to order food and will be updated regularly - download from iTunes or Google Play.

Health Services: If you are experiencing physical or emotional symptoms and you would like help, do not hesitate to contact our on-site healthcare professionals.

IT Services: We are working to maintain the appropriate tools for remote study. Information and instructions will be provided but, if you require additional assistance, contact:

helpdesk@fus.edu+41 91 986 3668

Library: Seating capacity may be reduced to ensure social distancing. Most of our informational resources are available online: https://www.fus.edu/services/library/electronic-resources. You may also request online available titles from our catalog: https://fus.on.worldcat.org/discovery

Tone Athletic Center (TAC): Per federal guidelines, the TAC will be open and following Swiss COVID health and safety measures. Where possible and in compliance with those guidelines, we will offer to our community members excursions, outdoor courses, and activities, to practice sports and enjoy a good time together. These offerings will be promoted through the FUS App.

In almost all regions across the globe, there is a risk of COVID-19 infection. Franklin encourages students to be cautious and take all necessary safety precautions before traveling. If you must travel, please consult the Federal Office of Public Health’s (FOPH) Recommendations for Travelers.

If you develop any symptoms, you should immediately contact the Coordinator of Student Medical Services and Well-Being at: medicalservices@fus.edu.

Entry Into Switzerland

Travelers entering Switzerland from certain regions may be required to self-quarantine for ten days and/or provide a negative COVID-19 test if not fully vaccinated. See self-quarantine section below for more details. The list of at-risk countries is updated regularly by the FOPH. Travelers affected should be notified during the flight, on board coaches, and at border crossings. Franklin recommends that all students take the Swiss TravelCheck prior to arrival to Switzerland to verify conditions for their entrance.  

Measures taken by the Swiss Federal Council have been so effective that Switzerland has been classified as the safest country in the world according to Forbes.

Please be aware of the new safety measures that apply throughout all of Switzerland. Check out more details on new official measures and ordinances here.

Adapting to new constraints and remaining socially distant is not easy, but be sure to stay connected and engaged as a community throughout these difficult times. Franklin is by your side.

All residences are operational.

Common areas are rigorously and frequently cleaned by our staff. If you have a roommate, please remember to practice social distancing. Clean the surfaces in your residence with chlorine or alcohol-based disinfectants. For a complete list of recommendations, see the Protecting Yourself and Others section.

If a COVID case is confirmed, all roommates in a shared bedroom and unvaccinated roommates in a shared apartment will be required to quarantine until they are authorized to exit quarantine by the Coordinator of Student Medical Services and Well-Being. Students who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with a private bedroom in a shared apartment will not be required to quarantine, but are required to monitor their health for any flu like symptoms and immediately report any symptoms to medicalservices@fus.edu. All students must continue to follow the hygiene and social distancing rules and observe the mask-wearing requirement. Students are expected to follow the protocol available from OSL staff and on the OSL Moodle site if they or their roommates are required to quarantine or isolate in a private bedroom in a shared apartment.

Leaving your Campus Housing

Students leaving their campus housing temporarily or permanently should contact the Housing Department in the Office of Student Life for assistance.

Students who intend to leave on-campus housing must communicate their plans to their Resident Assistant and to the Housing Department and must leave their room keys and mailbox keys on the desk in their rooms when they go. In the event that the indicated plans change, students should communicate those changes to the Housing Department in the Office of Student Life.

For more information on current housing policies and procedures, please contact housing@admin.fus.edu.

If students, faculty, or staff begin to suffer from COVID-like symptoms, they must stay home and contact a health care professional. Symptoms vary from person to person. They include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, loss of taste or smell. No one should go in person to seek health care without specific instructions from their doctor. After a verbal assessment, the individual will receive specific instructions on how to proceed with self-care or obtain assistance.

Faculty and staff should contact their doctors directly.

Students should contact the Coordinator of Student Medical Services and Well-Being at:

medicalservices@fus.edu
+41 91 986 53 11

You must self-quarantine for the minimum 10-day period if:

• You are not vaccinated and not recovered from COVID and are entering Switzerland from a high-risk country.
• You share a bedroom with a roommate who tests positive for COVID or you are unvaccinated in a shared apartment with a roommate who tests positive for COVID. You will be required to quarantine until you are authorized to exit quarantine by the Coordinator of Student Medical Services and Well-Being medicalservices@fus.edu.  
• You are not vaccinated and not recovered from COVID and come into contact with a COVID-19-positive individual. Fully vaccinated students in a private bedroom are not required to quarantine for 12 months from the time you were fully vaccinated. A vaccination certificate may be required from Swiss authorities to verify your situation. Students who have recovered from COVID within the past six months and have a private bedroom are not required to quarantine. A COVID positive test result or recovery certificate may be required from Swiss authorities to verify your situation.
• You develop COVID-like symptoms: fever, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, loss of taste or smell. Contact the Coordinator of Student Medical Services and Well-Being for medical advice and assistance medicalservices@fus.edu.

Starting Fall Semester 2021, Franklin will allow students living in the on-campus Residence Halls to shorten their 10-day quarantine by following the protocol provided by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). If your situation qualifies for this option, it involves obtaining a negative COVID test on day 7 of your quarantine. You must remain in your 10-day quarantine until the Cantonal authorities release you. Contact the Coordinator of Student Medical Services and Well-Being for medical advice and assistance medicalservices@fus.edu. 

Airlines are notifying the authorities when passengers arrive from at-risk countries, and the authorities will be conducting random checks to ensure quarantine periods are observed. The fines for quarantine violation can be as high as 10,000 CHF.

If you are starting the semester in quarantine, you will need to remain in your room for ten days. You can, however, spend time outside on your private balcony without having in-person interaction with others. If no symptoms occur within 10 days of the last contact with a COVID-19-positive individual, people can resume normal activity according to federal guidelines.

On-campus students who are required to quarantine should contact housing@fus.edu for assistance in ordering meals from Food Service. For more options, the Franklin app has links for great places to order food and will be updated regularly - download from iTunes or Google Play.

Please note that any student living off-campus, who returns to Switzerland and is required by Swiss authorities to quarantine is also required to follow the self-quarantine mandate before interacting with anyone on campus: students, faculty, or staff. As an institution, we are doing everything we can to keep members of our community safe, and we need your help to minimize contact that could put others’ health at risk. Students who develop COVID-19 symptoms or have health-related questions should contact the Coordinator of Student Medical Services and Well-Being at medicalservices@fus.edu.

People who fit one of the following descriptions are considered to be especially at-risk:

• People over the age of 65
• People suffering from cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases or chronic respiratory diseases
• People with conditions or undergoing therapies that weaken the immune system

The Swiss COVID-19 app

Switzerland has developed the Swisscovid app to trace contact with the COVID-19 virus. Please download the Swisscovid app (for android or iPhone), which is explained in this short video. This is now mandatory for all staff, teachers, and students to trace contact within our campus. Your participation will help keep our entire community safe.

The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) recommends simple measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus as part of their campaign:

Protect Yourself and Others.

Hygiene Rules and How to Behave

Wash your hands thoroughly.

Avoid shaking hands.

Stay at home if you have a high temperature and a cough.

Keep your distance.

Cough and sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your arm.

Always call ahead before going to the doctor’s or the emergency department.

Franklin Recommendations

The university recommends the following additional prevention practices in compliance with the directives of the Swiss public authorities:

• Wash your hands often. It is recommended to use hydroalcoholic solutions for hand washing in public places, gyms, supermarkets, pharmacies and other meeting places.
• Avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
• Maintain, in social contacts, an interpersonal distance of at least 1.5 meters (5 feet).
• Practice respiratory hygiene (sneezing and/or coughing in a handkerchief, avoiding hand contact with respiratory secretions).
• Avoid the promiscuous use of drinking glasses and bottles, especially during sports.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with your hands.
• Clean surfaces with chlorine or alcohol-based disinfectants.

Swiss Health Department (FOPH)

Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)

Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC)

World Health Organization (WHO)

Center for Disease Control (CDC)