A German-language version of this FAQ can be found here.
In this article, the ‘ungleich magazin’ editorial team will continuously publish new information that can help you in the Corona chaos in Erfurt. If you would like to share ideas, tips and tricks in the English language, feel free to contact us so that we can share the information with all international readers!
Find below useful information available in the English language, which shall help all internationals residing in Erfurt to have a comprehensive overview of the latest news on Covid-19 in Erfurt and Germany.
Useful links to understand the pandemic
Corona at the University of Erfurt
The most relevant aspects of the university’s handling of the corona virus can be found on the university homepage.
The Studierendenwerk offers psychosocial telephone counselling for those who need someone neutral to talk about learning difficulties, social problems or any other topic.
As it isn´t possible to validate the thoska the washing machines and dryer at the residential homes can be used for free. To start the machines you still need the thoska and the old scanners will maybe debite a sum of 0,01€.
How does the exponential spread of the disease happen?
The Washington Post uses animation to explain the spread of viruses and also visualizes how this process can be slowed down by social distancing. Tomas Pueyo summarized further insightful calculations and considerations in his article at Medium.
Latest news updates on the Corona virus
Relevant information on the German situation for internationals is provided by deutschland.de which is run in cooperation with the federal foreign office.
German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle is a reliable source to provide you with up-to-date journalism on the latest events regarding the corona virus in Germany.
WDRforyou even broadcasts in Arabic and Farsi – spread the word if you know people this could be helpful for!
FAQ by the German Health Ministry
The German Federal Ministry of Health provides a detailed information webpage featuring daily updates and figures as well as a useful selection of frequently asked questions.
Scientific daily updates on the Corona virus
The German Robert Koch Institute (RKI) informs about the corona virus and has daily scientific situation reports.
In case you are abroad right now
Consider the Foreign Ministry’s information for trips to Germany. According to the most recent information, third-country nationals who have their main residence in Germany may return to Germany, but please check the latest updates!
If home is not a safe place
- Helpline “Violence against women”: 08000 116 016
- Information on international telephone counseling hotlines
Phone number in case of a suspected corona infection
- the federal medical emergency service: 116 117
- your general practitioner
- the responsible health authority (Gesundheitsamt Erfurt): 0361 655 6161
The Health Office of the City of Erfurt has named the Medical Care Centre Dr. Kielstein as the central information point for returnees from risk areas – with and without symptoms. There, a smear test can be ordered by telephone on 0361/6010930 and the results will be available within 48 hours. You can reach the Kassenärztliche Emergency Service outside the office hours of the (family doctor) practices by calling 116117.
Cancelling your train ticket
The Deutsche Bahn changed their cancellation policy and you can even cancel saver fare tickets if the travel date is before the 30th June 2020.
What can Erfurters do now?
We understand you don’t want to hear it anymore, but we have to mention it once again: wash hands, wash hands, wash hands … and – as difficult as it is – stay away from friends, family and especially older people or those with previous illnesses!
If you want to help, you can join one of the numerous support groups who want to help “risk groups”:
- The ‘Erfurt Shopping Aid’ (Erfurter Einkaufshilfe) aims at bringing together people at risk and those ready to help so that those without a direct contact person in Erfurt can also be helped
- Another option is ‘Coronahilfe Erfurt’, a facebook group providing networking options with the same goal
- the ‘Erfurt online’ initiative shows which delivery services are now offered by bistros and restaurants, and gives all shop owners the opportunity to add their online presence
Who wants to earn some money in the free time could work as a harvest worker. If you are interested please send an E-mail to stura.vorstand@uni-erfurt.de until Monday. You are going to earn 9,35€ per hour and you will get a place to sleep next to the fields. But you definitely have to keep in mind: This is hard work!
You can also apply for the initiative “Farmer needs help“.
If you are simply bored and do not know what to do all day long, feel free to drop by on Instagram. Using the hashtag #SocialdisDancing_Erfurt, we regularly post stories with suggestions for activities that you can do despite quarantine or at least without other people.
Erfurt’s clubs are always thinking of new opportunities so that the party life does not turn out completely. Next Saturday, for example, Kalif Storch and Kulturzentrum Engelsburg will offer a live stream for 24 hours. Let’s move the party home!
The sports club of the University of Jena offers online courses live on Instagram. The first one is zumba on Tuesday at 7pm and the second one is a bodyworkout on Wednesday at 11am. They want to offer several courses every week.
In order to support Erfurt’s restaurants and cafes, you can also have your favorite food / drink delivered to your home by the respective restaurant. That means that their owners can still earn something despite social distancing!
Which shops are still open?
Below we list shops that are still open (supermarkets, drugstores, and pharmacies are of course still open):
- The ‘kleingedrucktes’ bookstore’s online shop
- The Peterknecht bookstore in Erfurt delivers your book to your home in a climate-neutral manner
- The bookstore Contineo (delivery is also carbon-neutral and without additonal costs)
- The Erfurt Soap Shop (Erfurter Seifenladen)
- Landmarkt on Magdeburger Allee (as well as the “Café+Bistro” right next to it, everything to take away9
- bike shops: radbörse & Little John Bikes on Johannesstraße do still offer reparation services, so you can come around, the latter can also be reached by phone 0361 55069771)
- Radhaus am Dom also offers reparation services from 2-4 p.m., telephone number: 0361 6020 640, the same applies to Fahrrad Riese Thüringen Park (0361 7462077) and Bike11 on Magdburger Allee 134 (0361 65888959)
- The market garden Sauerbrey (Am Stolberg 1, Tel: 0361 745 8628) offers salad, onions, persil and as soon as the season starts rhubarb to pick up at the store.
- Foodsharing is still possible every Friday 5pm-7pm at Lasalle-Straße 50 and at the Fairteiler “Fairly Fair e.V.” (Fritz-Büchner-Straße 16a) – they collect food and material donations.
- The market on Domplatz is open every Monday-Saturday 6am – 2pm and they offer fruits, vegetables, flowers, bread, meat, fish, …
- Tutkus Bistro and the Epitome are offering food and drinks to go.
The Instagram account @erfoodie is always up to date on where takeaway food is still available if you don’t feel like cooking yourself.
If you know of any more stores that stay open despite Corona, feel free to comment so that we can update the list!
