Physical teaching will resume in the main campus of the University by January 2021, members of the University community must adhere strictly to safety guidelines for mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 Virus.
Covid-19 Resumption Policies and Guidelines for Students
- Entry into school premises:
- All students must submit to a temperature check at the main entrance gate by the expressway. There will also be a mandatory temperature check at the entrance of any hall of residence for anyone trying to gain access. The maximum body temperature allowed for access into the University campus or into a hall of residence is 37.5 degrees Celsius.
- The use of sanitisers at the gate by the express road is compulsory.
- Students are to wash their hands each time they need to gain access to the halls of residence and the clinic.
- The use of masks on the University campus is mandatory except when alone outdoors or when in your room.
- Students who are not resident on campus are not allowed into students’ residential areas.
- Students that exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed on campus.
- To be admitted to the halls of residence, students must undergo a COVID-19 test
- Teaching session:
- Students must wear masks at all times during lectures or other academic activities.
- Masks must be worn properly, always above the nostrils and covering the mouth .
- 50 percent of class capacity will be utilized during a physical teaching session.
- Students are required to file out in an orderly fashion when teaching is over while also maintaining a physical distance from their neighbors. Crowding at the door must be avoided.
- Halls of residence:
- For reasons of social distancing, there will be no more than two occupants per room in a hall of residence. Therefore, single rooms will continue to accommodate only one student while other room configurations can take two students only.
- Where bunk beds exist in a room, it can only be occupied by one student each.
- For this period, students who reside on campus are expected to take permission from the Student Affairs Department before leaving the University campus. It is expected that for reasons associated with safety for all, students will limit trips out of campus. It is best to plan your provisions to last till the end of the first semester.
- Public spaces:
- Students must wear masks at all times in public spaces such as walkways, restrooms, cafeteria, the Chapel, the Muslim prayer room and car parks, and in the grounds around the Student Centre.
- Kindly sanitise your hands before applying pressure on water dispenser knobs.
- Food policies:
- Both wings of the cafeteria will be used for eating meals.
- Social distancing is to be maintained. Students are to sit at opposite ends of the table in the cafeteria. Therefore, each table will accommodate only 2 persons at a time.
- All cooked food will be served in take-away packs.
- Hands must be properly sanitised before touching point of sale machines in the cafeteria.
- Students are encouraged to use the electronic wallet and the online ordering system to minimise payment by cash.
- Guidelines on the handling of cash.
- The World Health Organization has not issued any warnings about the possibility of spreading the coronavirus through the use of cash. However, students are required to immediately sanitise hands when in contact with any currency.
7. Ventilation of rooms (cross ventilation)
- Office Windows in rooms that are shared rooms, such as classrooms and offices, are required to be opened at all times.
8. Cleaning protocols
Cleaning of the offices and classrooms will revert to daily instead of 3 times a week. Every cleaning process will immediately be followed up with decontamination of the space. There will be frequent decontamination of high traffic areas such as the staircases, classrooms, cafeteria, etc.
- Chlorine will be used for cleaning and decontamination.
- Liquid disinfectants will be used for doorknobs and handles to safeguard them from rusting.
9. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) requirements
- Hand sanitisers are provided by the University at strategic locations across the campus. Please sanitise your hands frequently using the wall-mounted hand sanitisers at different locations.
- Students are required to carry face masks based on the compulsory use of face masks on campus. Students may use a face shield but it must always be worn with a face mask.
10. Visitors
- Restrictions are still in place for external visitors to the campus. Business, with internal or external vendors, should preferably be conducted through emails, telephones, Zoom or other audio/video conferencing platforms.
- Any visitors allowed on campus must comply with the University policies and protocol on COVID-19.
- Only two people are allowed in the visiting room. In the event where there are more than two visitors, they will be relocated to a different room.
11. Travel restrictions
Students are advised to avoid any non-essential trips to other countries. If there is a need to travel, it is mandatory to self-isolate for 10-14 days in line with the NCDC guidelines.
12. Medical protocols
- If a student is exhibiting symptoms associated with COVID-19 they are to remain at home and self-isolate and thereafter call the NCDC (Toll-Free Number: 0800 9700 0010 Whatsapp: +234 708 711 0839 SMS Number: +234 809 955 5577) for further instructions. They are also to notify their Course Coordinators or Head of Departments or Deans.
- If the student gets ill on campus with any of the associated symptoms of COVID-19 they are to report to the clinic for assessment by the medical team.
- A holding room has been provided where our medical providers can keep persons exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 infection while arrangements are being made for further management. The period of admission in the holding room is not to exceed 24 hours.
- To reduce crowding within the clinic, students would be required to book an appointment with the clinic ahead of time by sending an email to clinicpau@novohealthafrica.org at least an hour before coming to the clinic. This booking does not apply to emergencies.
- At each point in time, there can only be 5 people inside the clinic.
- To reduce handling of paper, all clinical records will be moved to Electronic Medical Records upon students return to campus.
What will be done in the case of a suspected case of COVID-19
- Student is admitted to the holding room
- NCDC is contacted immediately
- Student fills the form at https://nimr.covid.com.ng to notify the health authorities. iv. Plans to transport the student to the hospital or home is made immediately and no longer than 12 hours for evacuation within 24 hours.
- The student’s family is notified of the case.
- Three options are available for evacuation; evacuate to home, evacuate to a government hospital, evacuate to an NCDC accredited centre for COVID-19 management. The private NCDC accredited centres are Paelon Memorial Hospital, First cardiologist and Vedic Clinic.
Paelon Memorial Hospital
Ahmadu Bello Way
Victoria Island
08096389398
First Cardiology Consultation
20A Thompson Avenu
Ikoyi, Lagos
08082114266
Vedic Lifecare Hospital
Block No 105
Plot 6 Olabanji Olajide
(2nd Roundabout) Lekki Phase 1
07085787754
vii. The doctor in the clinic will grade the symptoms and advice on the stage of the disease and its implications.
Contact tracing of suspected COVID-19 cases
While in the holding room, a suspected COVID-19 patient will provide information on the contacts he/she has had in the past 7 days. These individuals will be contacted privately and asked to self-isolate at home until the result of the suspected COVID-19 case is confirmed. If the result is positive, then all contacts are to remain in isolation, while they fill the NCDC summoning form so they can also be tested. If the result is negative, they are re-introduced into the community.
Testing for COVID-19
- On arrival all students will be tested for COVID-19 before they are allowed to move into the halls of residence. This will be based on an approved COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic test.
- Students who test negative will be allowed to move into the halls of residence.
- Students who test positive will not be allowed to move into the halls of residence.
- Students who have taken a PCR test within the last 4 days of their resumption to campus may present their results in lieu of the test.