closely based on the hygiene concept of the System Change Camp 2025 and previous years

This guideline, adopted by the SCC camp organizing team, is intended to regulate hygiene measures for the prevention and intervention of infectious diseases at the camp and to serve as a reference. The individual measures are to be adapted according to the situation. To make this work, the medics monitor the infection situation. Any further measures that may be necessary (see infection protection plan) will be agreed upon by the medics and the emergency team and then communicated to the camp.
An abridged version of the concept will be posted and shared via social media.​​​​​​​

The SystemChangeCamp will take place in August 2026 in Karlsruhe. High temperatures are to be expected. The region, as well as the entire federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, are TBE risk areas. TBE stands for tick-borne encephalitis. This is a disease transmitted by ticks with flu-like symptoms that can lead to inflammation of the brain and the meninges. In general, the gathering of up to 1,500 people at peak times presents a certain infection risk for everyone. To protect vulnerable groups and to avoid triggering or worsening an epidemic, it is the responsibility of the SCC organizers to make the guidelines known and raise awareness about individual and communal hygiene. In this way, we also want to enable the participation of immunocompromised people. The guidelines are mandatory for everyone without exception.

At various locations in the camp, informational material will be available to help raise awareness. Hygiene notices will be posted/available at every toilet, sink, food queue/serving point, and at the info point. People working in particularly hygiene-sensitive areas (kitchen, toilets, care) will receive hygiene instructions as part of their onboarding. We will provide instructions on thorough handwashing. The full version of the hygiene guideline will be available in German (complex language & simple language) and English in the first aid tent and at the info point, as well as accessible on the website. The short version will additionally be shared via social media. The info point team will inform arriving people about the hygiene guideline. There will be information material on infection protection and masks. Before every program item that takes place with masks, a short awareness text will be read out by a helper.

Respiratory diseases are omnipresent, whether COVID-19, influenza (viral flu) or other illnesses that find optimal conditions for settling and multiplying in our upper respiratory tract. Even for people without pre-existing conditions, infections can be life-threatening or lead to serious consequences (e.g. Long COVID). Every infection – whether flu or Covid – increases one’s own risk of a chronic illness. That is why we see it as our task and duty to respect people’s individual needs for hygiene and infection protection. Only in this way can we lower barriers and include vulnerable people. Therefore we have established some basic rules regarding respiratory diseases. You will find these under the section Prevention of infections. Influenza and COVID usually manifest through general cold symptoms such as cough, runny nose, fever, headache and limb pain, sore throat and shortness of breath. With COVID, loss of smell and taste also frequently occurs. Please take care of yourself and take appropriate measures if you have symptoms. When you become aware of high‑risk contacts, please also bear in mind that the first 1–4 days can pass without symptoms and you can still infect other vulnerable people.

We would like everyone to independently test negative for COVID-19 before arriving. If you suspect an infection and have had contact with sick people, we ask that you inform your close contacts and that you all then test yourselves regularly. You can get COVID tests at the medic tent. You can find further regulations in the section “Dealing with infections”.

When large groups of people come together, gastrointestinal illnesses are a real danger and not to be underestimated. They are not only highly contagious, but also extremely dangerous due to the high loss of nutrients and fluids, especially for people with pre-existing conditions or weakened people and small children/babies. The most common route of transmission is fecal-oral, i.e. through pathogens from stool that end up in the mouth. This happens due to poor hand hygiene. In most cases, the time until symptoms appear is relatively short (a few hours to one day). If you notice typical symptoms in yourself, i.e. vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, please do not travel to the camp in the first place. If you have diarrhea on the camp toilet (if unsure, see the diarrhea information notices) or vomit, please label that toilet as a “diarrhea toilet.” There is a slip of paper in every toilet for this purpose. You can find further measures in the section “Dealing with infections.”

Physical intimacy and sex often involve the exchange of or contact with bodily fluids such as saliva, vaginal fluid, semen, or small amounts of blood. Protection against sexually transmitted diseases should be given particular consideration in these situations. Because symptoms usually only become noticeable late, protection is extremely important. Talk to your sexual partners about contraception before having sex and find your own consensus. Good to know: regular testing helps! This is usually even possible anonymously and free of charge. Find out about the services available in your city.

Coughing and sneezing etiquette

We make sure to cough or sneeze into our elbows and turn away from other people whilst doing so.

Hand hygiene

Everyone at the camp is required to follow certain rules on hand hygiene. This is the only way we can prevent infections and protect ourselves and others. Times to sanitise or wash your hands:

• before and after eating, drinking, smoking or using substances
• before entering a communal tent, i.e.:
  • Info Point
  • Tents run by support teams (Awareness, First Aid, Kitchen)
  • Workshop tents
  • Infrastructure tents (equipment tents, etc.)
• both BEFORE and AFTER using the toilet
• before and after contact with food, bodily waste or patients* (specifically: special rules apply for certain facilities)

You’ll find washbasins at the food distribution point and the toilets. All locations are marked on the camp map. The kitchen has its own washbasins and toilets. Please only use these if you are part of the kitchen team, and not simply because they are closer or the queue is shorter!

Hand sanitiser is available by the toilets, at the food distribution point, in every care tent and at various other central locations.

As well as toilet paper, tampons and sanitary towels will be provided in the toilets. Some Places2Pee facilities have a water tap for rinsing out menstrual cups. These are marked from the outside.

Disinfection

In addition to visible contamination with dirt, surfaces in particular are constantly contaminated with germs. Simple cleaning with water and soap does not kill many pathogens. It only removes them via the water; some always remain on the surface. Only with chemical surface disinfection can we kill the majority of germs. In addition, people often do not wash their hands thoroughly and correctly, which reinforces this effect.

Surfaces that are touched frequently by many people (water taps, kitchen serving areas, care tables, tables in the first-aid tent) and those that come into contact with excretions (toilet seats, squat toilet grids, toilet door handles) are disinfected several times a day (implemented independently by the respective structures). For self-protection, gloves should be worn. We use only formaldehyde-free disinfectants that are as harmless to the environment as possible. The structures working with them receive a disinfection and cleaning plan.

Ventilation

Communal tents should, if possible, be equipped with large openings to guarantee sufficient ventilation. The respective facilitation or structure ensures regular airing. In enclosed spaces without sufficient ventilation, we recommend wearing FFP2 masks.

Distance

We expect all camp participants to take into account, as far as possible, people’s needs regarding the observance of minimum distances. Please actively pay attention to the wellbeing of people in your immediate surroundings, especially those outside your affinity group, particularly in food lines and enclosed spaces such as tents. Feel free to point out to others your wish for distance (and/or for wearing a mask if this is not observed).

Smoking

Smoking significantly contributes to the spread of aerosols in the surroundings and can thus spread pathogens through the air. Please never smoke in enclosed spaces or places without direct ventilation (e.g. under sunshade tarps), but instead use the consumption space and in any case keep a generous distance from people nearby when smoking.

Conditions for triggering an infection control plan

As soon as

• at least five new COVID-19 infections are detected within one day, or
• people who work in superspreading-relevant positions, e.g. kitchen for all, food distribution, kiosk, crêpe stand, pizza stand, shit brigade, fall ill with COVID-19 or a gastrointestinal infection,
• at least 6 toilets are simultaneously labeled as diarrhea toilets and a task force made up of members of the medics, shit brigade and the emergency team decides so,

stage 1 of the infection control plan (generally increased safety measures) comes into effect.

As soon as

• at least 30 new COVID-19 infections are detected within one day and a task force made up of members of the medics, shit brigade and the emergency team decides so,

stage 2 of the infection control plan (termination of the camp) comes into effect.

Infection protection plan

At stage 1 of the infection protection plan (general increased safety measures), the following apply:

• Minimum distances must be maintained,
• hands must be washed and disinfected regularly,
• masks must be worn by all camp participants in indoor spaces such as tents and in crowded outdoor spaces such as food lines,
• masks must be worn at all times by all persons working in superspreading-relevant positions, e.g. kitchen collective, food distribution, kiosk, crêpe stand, pizza stand, sanitation brigade,
• program items should, where possible, be held with a reduced number of participants to enable the observance of minimum distances,
• all rooms must be ventilated for five minutes at least every 30 minutes,
• toilets must be disinfected every three hours,
• all participants must be regularly informed via the info channel and camp announcements about the current infection situation,
• the camp organizers must regularly issue additional reminders to comply with hygiene and safety rules.

At stage 2 of the infection protection plan (termination of the camp), the following apply:

• masks must be worn at all times by all persons,
• all food distribution points must be closed before preparation of the next meal,
• future program items must be cancelled and all program providers must be informed of this without delay,
• all participants must be requested to depart as soon as possible,
• the camp must be dismantled while observing the protective measures from stage 1 and in accordance with the descending priority of the respective structures.

Shit Brigade

Toilets and washing facilities offer a splendid opportunity for the spread of pathogens. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that all people wash or disinfect their hands before and after using the toilet as well as before and after cleaning these structures. Cleaning the toilets is the task of the Shit Brigade and usually takes place three times a day. The toilets should be designed in such a way that the poop containers cannot be reached by small animals (rats, dogs), as they usually also want to eat in the community kitchen afterwards and then spread the germs directly there.

If a person works in the Shit Brigade, this person is NOT allowed to work in the kitchen or with the medics for the next three days!

Medics

Before starting and after finishing their shift, medics wash their hands with water and soap. Before and after contact with patients, hands are disinfected. Gloves are worn for all aseptic activities. Medics also observe the general rules of hand hygiene. They work neither in the kitchen nor in the Shit Brigade. In the medic tent (treatment) there is an absolute mask mandate, regardless of whether or not a patient is present! When patients are in the tent, an FFP2 mask is also worn, especially if the tent is closed during treatment to protect people’s privacy. There is no smoking or eating in the medic tent. Medics make sure that no personal items are mixed in with medical materials and disinfect used devices (blood pressure cuffs, etc.) immediately.

Kitchen & food distribution

All decisions on topics such as food hygiene or similar fall within the area of responsibility of the kitchen and are handled autonomously and independently by the corresponding collective. Some key points are nevertheless recorded here:

There can be two food lines: one in which people wear masks and one in which people do not.

• People who work or help in the kitchen or at the food distribution should receive a brief hygiene onboarding in which basic things about handwashing, etc. are shared.
• Helpers in the kitchen or at the food distribution must, in the last three days,
  • not have cleaned any toilets (not even at home!),
  • show no symptoms of illness, and
  • not have worked as medics.
• People who work in the kitchen or food distribution tie up their hair if applicable.
• People from the core kitchen team may NOT work in the shit brigade or as medics.
• People from the core kitchen team use only a separate toilet and separate sinks.