Update April 6, 2024: DAI specific COVID-19 and INFLUENZA protocol
Although Covid is now declared endemic and testing when traveling is no longer requested in European (and our outside EU visiting) countries, testing ourselves (students, tutors and staff included) in case we are experiencing Covid or influenza related symptoms shortly before traveling remains a priority.
Masks are not mandatory, but we ask everybody to precautionary carry some masks with them during the DAI Confluence in Essaouira.
Please read the general protocol below with care. This monthly updated protocol will be guiding us all through the academic year 2023-2024 or until further notice. Note that we have recently added a few lines about what DAI can and cannot support when you are testing positive during a DAI-Confluence. For that: PLEASE CHECK number 9.
DAI specific COVID-19 protocol 2022-2024
0.Care for each other. DAI brings people of multiple generations (including 60 +), health conditions, abilities, orientations, identities, nationalities, socio-economic and geo-political backgrounds together at a variety of locations. Diverse concerns and levels of anxiety in regard to Covid-19 within our community must be respected at all times. However: panicking is never helpful. DAI is committed to provide safe(r) spaces for our DAI Week gatherings and to facilitate communal study, meals, accommodation and conviviality at locations where the protocol can be practiced.
Upon request of the student's General Assembly we ask you all to extra-rigourously respect all protective measures as early as ONE WEEK PRIOR to your departure to a DAI destination.
1.National protocols will be informing our policy, but are overruled by DAI's own guidelines (in combination with guidelines issued by our location hosts - they will have final say) unless the regulations of a country are more strict. In that case the national guidelines of the country where we are residing are binding. If a DAI Week is organised outside of the Netherlands we will duly inform you about the quarantaine-regulations that are in place in our host country.
2.Vaccinations. We are a traveling community - this makes us vulnerable. We ask ALL of you to make sure that you are vaccinated as well as "boostered" and that you can show proof of that. Contact us when there are reasons why you are not (yet) vaccinated or why you cannot get vaccinated at all. Not being vaccinated poses a serious risk to yourself as well as to all of us. We are committed to seek solutions together with you !
3.Testing. testing. testing. Prior to each DAI Week all are requested to take a self-test, as shortly before traveling as possible. Thus you will diminish the risk of having to go in isolation upon your arrival at our DAI destination (should you happen to test positive upon the mandatory self test upon arrival at the DAI location). With EVERYBODY we mean everybody, regardless of having had your vaccinations, or having had Covid earlier on.
5. ALWAYS, respect one and a half meter distance when you are having symptoms during a DAI confluence. And wear a face mask. In case of illness, you might need to isolate.
6. Wash your hands regularly.
7.Contact with someone positive for Covid: if you live in a household with someone, who has Covid-19, we unfortunately cannot allow you to join the DAI Week. Please get tested regularly, and wait for the results before joining us. When tested negative you are welcome to join us.
8. Symptoms. If you have severe symptoms associated with Covid-19 we unfortunately cannot allow you to join the DAI Week. Please get tested as soon as possible and wait for the results before joining us - please join us ONLINE. When tested negative again you are welcome to join us in real life.
9.Falling ill with Covid during a DAI Week: If you start feeling ill while already present during a DAI Week on location you are required to self-isolate and to immediately inform Jacq (or the person who replaces her).
The DAI crew, together with you, will decide about the necessary next steps and will assist you with any formal proceedings. IMPORTANT: every location will have different conditions, rules and regulations. DAI will support your self-isolation by making sure that you will be provided with food during every meal.
Currently the Dutch governement is not refunding our Covid related costs (as was the case in 2020 and 2021). Therefore it is important to be aware that you are roaming with DAI on a voluntary basis. For the duration of the DAI Week we will support you while you are taking good care of yourself in self-isolation.
However, DAI can not and will not pay for your earlier or delayed return nor for your extended stay at our host's location. We will of course think along with you in searching for solutions for your return trip back home.
10.Joining ONLINE: The DAI is committed to accommodate individual students and tutors who are unable to join a DAI Week due to a PROVEN Covid-19 contamination, or due to specific Covid-19 quarantaine regulations and related travel restrictions, by providing and supporting online connectivity throughout the DAI Week - AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE UNDER THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF A LOCATION.
Please keep in mind that online attendance will support your trajectory - but it is not compensating for your absence. Exam Regulations allow you to miss out on 20% of each Curriculum Component.
Always contact Gabriëlle, Nikos, Florian, Rik and Jacq (all in one mail) to bring your case forward.
11.Clean, cleaner, cleanest. When sharing toilets, bathrooms or showers, all members of our community are requested to sanitize these facilities after use. Contact Jacq or the location assistant if there are no/not enough cleaning agents.
12. Cleaning of all utensils related to the food we share during our communal meals: extra attention must be/will be given to this by all in our community.
13.DAI Crew: During, as well as in between DAI Weeks Jacq van der Spek will be available to share any practical concerns relating to your personal health. She will also be the one (in close conversation with our hosts) to provide you with practical information in regard to medical support and facilities at all of our destinations .
Rik Fernhout keeps track of any possible formal or official hurdles on DAI's pathways, in relation to travel-, health- and exam-regulations (exam regulations are mentioned here since not joining a DAI Week has an effect on your credit points).
14. Cancellation of a DAI Week: If an entire DAI Week program has to be canceled due to Covid related circumstances we will always seek to re-schedule and re-organize in the best possible way. If, ultimately it is not possible to re-schedule the total number of days that was initially announced at the beginning of the year, we will refund student's contributions to the BB&SS Fund in fairness for the number of days that could not be offered in flesh/in real life after careful re-scheduling. In case of individual absence from the program there can be no refunds.
15. Mandatory: In preparation of, as well as during DAI Weeks it is mandatory (not optional) to fully respect the protocol. Any deviation from the protocol could seriously jeopardise our community’s safety and the future of our program - as well as that of our hosts. We trust that all of us will act responsibly and will respond responsibly to requests for (more) distance and safety from any one in our community. Should you feel that your concerns are not given the consideration they deserve we ask you to contact a member of the DAI crew (all members are fully committed to speak up and help implement this protocol: which will be binding) or to bring this concern to the General Assembly and/or the COUNCIL.
16. Suggestions for improvement of this protocol and the measures that it intends to implement can be shared during the regular sessions of the DAI’s COUNCIL.
17.You are advised to regularly return to this page - it will be updated whenever relevant.
Please also read official announcements at the website of ArtEZ University of the Arts.