Measures taken by PTB to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2

In the days leading up to 23 March, PTB’s crisis management team put together a comprehensive set of measures and updated them on an ongoing basis depending on the developing situation. Nearly all events and business trips scheduled for the near future were cancelled; as many staff members as possible whose tasks can be performed working from home (“home office”) were given permission to do so and provided with an IT connection to PTB. Strict hygiene and conduct rules were passed for all staff members who continue to work on site at PTB. The exponential increase in confirmed cases of the disease throughout the country has now necessitated the further step of implementing the “restricted operational status” at PTB’s Berlin site. Here, Dr. Joachim Ullrich, the President of PTB, emphasizes that, “Having weighed our legal mandate against our obligation to care for all our staff members as well as for society in general, we have decided to take this further step. By placing even greater restrictions on all tasks performed on site, we will make things as difficult as possible for the virus. At the same time, we will make every effort to maintain our operations to the greatest extent possible.”

The “restricted operational status” declared means that only a few staff members given explicit permission will be allowed to enter PTB’s grounds. To ensure that the most important on-site tasks can still be performed and that PTB’s grounds remain secure, these staff members include on-site security staff, PTB’s fire brigade, some staff members designated by the departments and administration of PTB, and the crisis management team. All others will work from home wherever possible given their individual circumstances.

The crisis management team will continue to hold daily meetings to discuss further steps and, if necessary, to implement further measures.

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