Friday 13 March 2020 7:36pm
The University's Emergency and Business Continuity Coordinator Andrew Ferguson addresses a staff forum on the COVID-19 pandemic at the College of Education Auditorium on Wednesday afternoon.
The University is cancelling all staff international travel for work, and academic departments are being asked to prepare for a possible cancellation of large gatherings such as lectures, a staff forum on the COVID-19 pandemic was told on Wednesday afternoon.
The forum, held at the University’s College of Education Auditorium, and attended by about 200 staff, aimed to ensure all were on the same page about the virus, remind them of the simple public health measures to reduce the risk, and inform them of the planning that was being put in place to combat spread if the virus did reach the University community.
The Dunedin forum followed similar presentations on the Christchurch and Wellington campuses last week.
The forum is available online to staff, and can be found here. Log in instructions can be found at the end of this story.
"The situation is unique, and we’re managing this in real time. It’s really important that people keep themselves up-to-date by checking the website on a regular basis."
The forum was led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne, along with Emergency and Business Continuity Coordinator Andrew Ferguson who is heading the University’s response to the situation, and Student Health Services’ Director Margaret Perley and Clinical Group Leader Dr Bret Dougherty. Also present for comment were Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement) Professor Helen Nicholson, the Director of the Human Resources Division Kevin Seales, Health & Safety Adviser Nevan Trotter, and the Director of Communications Megan McPherson.
Professor Hayne began by reminding the audience that the Coronavirus COVID-19 updates page which can be found on the front page of the University’s website is the “source of truth” for the University in the weeks and potentially months to come. This page is constantly updated, and staff are encouraged to check for new information daily.
“The situation is unique, and we’re managing this in real time,” Professor Hayne said. “It’s really important that people keep themselves up-to-date by checking the website on a regular basis.”
She also reminded staff of the simple actions they could do right now to decrease the spread of the virus in the community, which included hand washing (for 20 seconds or two rounds of Happy Birthday) after using the bathroom, before and after eating, and if they accidentally sneezed into them; to cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue or into the elbow; and to make use of the University’s free vaccination programme, which will begin in April, and is this year also being offered to students.
“The vaccination is not going to protect you from COVID-19, but it will protect you from the common flu, which will reduce the impact of your illness on a health system which might be stretched due to COVID-19.”
Finally, she told staff to stay home if they were unwell, rather than “soldiering on”, and said people would need to step up to complete work if their colleagues were away.
Mr Ferguson spoke after Professor Hayne, focusing first on the current situation and then on the University’s forward planning if the virus was to reach the University community.
“To date, we have actively housed 11 students during their self-isolation,” he said. “Sixty-five staff and students have been self-isolating in their own accommodation.”
"...we need to think about how we will deliver our core business to our students in a different way which doesn’t involve students coming into settings like this."
All these people have now been cleared, and there is just one student currently in self-isolation.
“The next step for us is a case in Dunedin, and we’re preparing for when it arrives.
"If we get cases in here, we will be following the Ministry’s [of Health] advice, and they will take the lead on that. Medical Officers of Health will determine what we have to do.”
He said the University was also preparing for the possibility that the Ministry of Health might announce a ban on large gatherings. That move would mean lectures would have to cease – and the Ministry could give as little as two hours’ notice.
“That doesn’t mean that everyone goes home,” he said, “But it does mean that lectures and large gatherings will have to stop. So, we need to think about how we will deliver our core business to our students in a different way which doesn’t involve students coming into settings like this.”
He said the University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellors had approached all Heads of Department to prepare all Divisions for the possibility of working outside the norm.
“We need them ready to stream or teach them in ways other than coming here.”
Information for staff on support for putting courses on-line will be on the COVID-19 web pages. Staff meetings, where people were in close contact, as defined by being within 1m of one another for more than 15 minutes, would be also likely be halted.
He encouraged staff to practice using Zoom for meetings, or to test out having staff work from home for a day, so that any issues could be ironed out early.
“This situation is ever evolving; things are changing on a daily basis. We don’t know what’s on the horizon. My team is preparing for if we can’t keep a lid on this, because this is what we have to do.”
Dr Dougherty spoke of the impact of the virus – which seems to have the most grave consequences for older people, and those with a more vulnerable health status, he said.
He said that reducing the spread of the virus was vital to protect those who would be most at risk if they contracted it.
Ms Perley told staff to “think social responsibility” because if the virus came into the community New Zealand could experience a high death toll similar to that being seen in Italy.
"If you’re well, you’re less likely to get an infection. That means a balanced diet, sleep, exercise, look after yourself, get the flu jab, seek medical/mental health support if required."
“Prevent spread,” she said. “Please stay home if you’re unwell. If your colleagues come into work sick, send them home. Don’t go grocery shopping. Don’t visit your GP without phoning first.”
It is important that staff remind students who have flu-like symptoms to phone Healthline or Student Health, not to turn up at Student Health or their GP without phoning first, she said.
Finally, she reminded the audience to maintain their general wellbeing.
“If you’re well, you’re less likely to get an infection. That means a balanced diet, sleep, exercise, look after yourself, get the flu jab, seek medical/mental health support if required.”
She said the latest issue was keep cups. “If you’re sick, then don’t get coffee with a keep cup as you may spread your bugs to the café worker.”
In fact, the University Union has ordered 6,000 disposable cups to prevent this situation.
Staff then had the opportunity to ask questions, which ranged from whether the University would be intensifying cleaning, to the impact of lab closures on postgraduates with scholarships, to the impact of a large gathering ban on examinations. The Vice-Chancellor used the previous example of the Christchurch earthquakes when scholarships were extended, and told the audience the University already had a project to look at ways to deliver examinations remotely, which has been escalated in case it is required. Another audience member asked what staff should do if they had run out of sick leave entitlement, and was told that sick leave policies were currently being updated, with the University taking a liberal stance.
An overseas travel cancellation was also announced. Professor Nicholson said the decision around travel was two-fold, due to a lack of insurance cover for both illness and travel disruptions.
Professor Hayne added that the plan is to “delay”.
“We’re really trying to encourage everyone to delay – delay people going out, and coming in. We just need to get through this discrete point in time.”
Professor Hayne said the University was watching what was happening overseas closely, and that a typical scenario could see the University being told to close and be up and running online within 48 hours.
She urged creativity in dealing with this “brave new world”, and that there would be ways to deal with the situation, such as rotating the use of a laboratory, so that people remained at least two metres apart and avoided close contact.
Professor Hayne ended the forum with a reflection.
"It is our collective responsibility to make sure that our students get through this with the best education they can have under the most challenging circumstances we have ever encountered."
“I’ve actually heard this described as the single biggest challenge to universities since World War II. In addition to the virus, we also have to cope with all of the disruption caused by trying to keep ourselves safe from the virus.
“I have every confidence that everyone in this room, and everyone who will be listening to this podcast, and everyone at this University, has what it takes to get us through these very challenging times. I really encourage everyone to work together to find creative solutions to whatever we encounter. Look after your own health, look after your colleagues and to make sure the students in our community feel safe and supported.
“It is our collective responsibility to make sure that our students get through this with the best education they can have under the most challenging circumstances we have ever encountered.”
She said the Vice-Chancellor’s Advisory Group had shed all tasks but those required to keep this University going and urged staff to do the same.
“As you are going about your own job, I encourage you to do the same. Make a list of what is critically important to the survival of your area, and the rest we will do when we reconvene after this virus situation has been resolved.”
Listen to the forum:
To listen to the full forum click here.
• Enter your registry username.
• Enter your regular password. This will be the password you use to log in to your computer.