Enhancing Student Experience in the Covid-19 Era27th – 28th May 2021, Online Conference

Enhancing Student Experience in the COVID–19 Era

27 to 28 May 2021

Presented by Pura MgolombaneExecutive Director: Department of Student Affairs (DSA)

• COVID-19 Genesis

• First Case in Africa

• First Case in South Africa

• The World’s Shutdown

Outline

Outline cont.

• Vaccine Race

• Gradual Reopening

• UCT COVID–19 Response

• Challenges

• Conclusion

Covid- 19 Genesis

• December 2020 – Wuhan China.

• 30 January 2020 – The WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International concern.

• 11 March 2020 – The WHO declared a pandemic.

• 13 January 2020 – Thailand the First Country outside of China to report an infection.

• 24 January 2020 – France the First European Country to report an infection.

• 21 February 2020 – Followed by Nine other European Countries.

Africa

• 14 February 2020 – Egypt reported First Case in Africa.

• End February 2020 – Nigeria -First in Sub-Saharan Africa.

South Africa

• 5 March 2020 South Africa Reported its First Case.

The World Shuts down

• January 2020 China Hubei Province.

• March 2020 Italy.

• 15 March President Cyril Ramaphosa – RSA Declares National State of Disaster.

• Immediate Travel Restrictions.

• 18 March Schools Close.

• 23 March National Lockdown Announced.

• 17h00 on 25 March University of Cape Town Closes Residences.

• 27 March National Lockdown Level 5.

Vaccine Race

• 8 December 2020 United Kingdom, the First Country in the World to Vaccinate.

• 03 January 2021 South Africa Announce its Vaccination Rollout Strategy.

• 10 January 2021 Seychelles the First African Country to Vaccinate.

• 07 February 2021 South Africa administers its First Vaccine.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Minister of Health, Mr Mkhize, were also vaccinated on Wednesday, alongside 16 health care workers. Preparing for the jab, Ramaphosajokingly asked the nurse: “ Can I close my eyes.”The Health Care Worker that administered the vaccine to the President was MilanieBennett.

Gradual Reopening of the World

• Gradual Easing of Lockdown Levels.

• Easing of curfew.

• Opening of Non-Essential Businesses.

• Opening of Boarders.

• Opening of Airports.

• The Staggered and Gradual Reopening of Universities.

The Social Compact

• SAASSAP has partnered with:o Universities South Africa (USAf);

o Higher Health (HH); and the;

o South African Union of Students (SAUS);

o To formulate a Social Compact that can inspire sectoral cooperative

responsible behaviour practices of staff and students (https://saassap.com).

UCT COVID-19 Response

UCT COVID-19 Coordinating Committee

• Student Wellness Service (SWS) created a support plan to minimise the possible spread of the virus.

• The support plan includes :o Providing Preventative Information Prior to Arrival

on Campus. o Screening Upon Arrival in Residences.

Prevention and Precaution

• Always wear a mask in public and shared spaces.

• Ensure that the mask covers the mouth and nose.

• Wash your hands.

• Do not touch your face.

• Keep at least 1.5 meters apart.

• Cover your cough.

• Avoid crowded places and social gathering.

• Avoid close contact settings.

• Confined and enclosed spaces.

When Considering Returning to Campus:

• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.• Hypertension.• On immunosuppressant therapy. • HIV – positive and on treatment, but with poor adherence and not virally suppressed.• Pregnant women (post-delivery for 6 weeks) and breastfeeding woman.• Unstable or complicated cardiac disease.• Chronic lung disease. • Chronic liver disease with impaired liver function.• Chronic renal disease with impaired renal function.• Cancer and receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy.• Bone marrow or organ transplant.• Morbid obesity (body mass index greater than 35).• Over 60 years old.

Risk Factors

Contact List and Information

Websites / Apps – Online booking for Covid Screening

• Higher Health App

• UCT Peer Counselling Instagram page

• City of Cape Town Public testing site

• Private testing site e.g., Pathcare

• Public testing sites e.g., City of Cape Town

Online and Telephonic Screening

• Online booking system

• SWS Triage line (021) 6505620 / (021) 650 1271

Frequently Asked Questions 1 of 2

Provision of Frequently Asked Questions on Covid–19 Vulnerability

• I have a chronic illness which is not included on the above list. Will I still be at higher risk than other people?

• What is virally unsuppressed HIV? I am on HIV medication. Will I be at risk?

• What happens if I discover that I am pregnant when I am already in residence?

• How do I know if my heart condition is an unstable or complicated cardiac disease?

Frequently Asked Question 2 of 2

Frequently Asked Question: Infected with Covid–19/ Contact with

Infected Person

• What is the definition of close contact?

• What should I do if I was in close contact or exposed to someone who may have

COVID-19?

• What should I do if I was in close contact with someone who tested positive for

COVID-19?

• What happens if I am diagnosed with COVID-19?

Staying Updated

For the latest Preventative and Precautionary Measures Visit the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Department of Health’s Covid-19 portals:

• http://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-index/covid-19• http://sacoronavirus.co.za

SH&RL Covid 19 Protocols

DSA invites Student to Return to Residence. Factors to Consider:

• If you are ill, this applies to all conditions, seek medical assistance, and delay your return.

• Recovering from an illness, obtain medical advice on when you can return, inform your faculty, and delay your return for another few days.

• If in doubt on any health-related matter seek assistance from a private medical practitioner or contact Student Wellness Services at the University of Cape Town.

• If you have not been able to social distance or, if you have participated in voluntary community activities resulted in high-risk exposure, you need to inform SWS upon your return to residence.

Procedure Students with Unknown Medical Conditions: There are Four Possible Outcomes.

1. Arrive at Res - Presents Higher Health check to res staff – Health check clearance granted? –YES – Sign in at residence – Perform online Covid-19 self-screening.

2. Arrive at Res – Presents Higher Health check to res staff – Health check clearance granted? – NO– Contact SWS – Have symptom? – NO – Quarantine in own room (7-day period)– Submits daily COVID – 19 symptoms online – Quarantine Complete? – YES – Continue.

3. Arrive at Res – Present Higher Health check to res staff – Health check clearance granted – NO –Contact SWS – Need to isolate? – NO – Quarantines in own room for 7 days – Submit daily COVID- 19 symptoms online – Quarantine complete? – YES – continue.

4. Arrive at Res – Presents Higher Health check to res staff – Health Check clearance granted – NO– Contact SWS – Needs to isolate? – YES – Report to AAH isolation for 10-day.

Procedure for Students with Known Medical Condition.

Invited by SH&RL to Return the Residence

• Get automatic email to contact student wellness sws@uct.ac.za.

• Students consult telephonically with the Medical Officer / Clinical Nurse Practitioner.

• The Medical Officer or Clinical Nurse Practitioner assess if the student medical condition is stable. And they have medication for the quarantine 10-day period.

Protocol at UCT Residences

Arriving at Residence

• All returning students are placed under a 10-day self-quarantine in their residence.

• Students should complete the self-monitoring tool before 12h00 daily.

• Students with COVID-19 symptoms are placed in isolation at All Africa House.

Covid 19 Symptoms to Be Considered if any:

• Cough

• Sore throat

• Shortness of breath

• Anosmia

• Dysgeusia

• Other symptoms:

o Fevero Weaknesso Diarrheao Myalgia

What if I Screen Positive?

• These students will be managed by SWS clinical staff as per the protocol for managing the COVID-19 symptoms.

• Students will be transferred to the Universities isolation facility at All Africa House (AAH) for a period of 10 days.

• Students living in private accommodation should self-isolate at home for a period of 10 day.

What to Expect in Isolation?

• Secure, quiet room conducive to studying.

• Clean bed towels.

• Telephone for call the 24hour SWS COVID-19 line or for reporting issues.

• All meals.

• Outside quad area for stretching your legs, this by prior arrangement and social distancing.

• Cleaning of your room is done by yourself.

• No visitors will be allowed.

• Daily telephone consultation with nursing staff.

• Medication for mild symptoms.

• Facility staff will inform your close contacts.

Getting Help access to Student Wellness Services and COVID-19 Screening and Testing.

• SWS offers Virtual Consultation.

• For Mask-to Mask (M2M) consultations all students will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.

Mental Health Support Counselling: • Peer counselling undertaken by post graduate students, qualified as social workers or registered

counsellors.• Students can book via SWS website or UCT mobile app.• Counselling sessions are 40 minutes long.

Social /Emotional Adjustment• Students struggling to adjust to the new normal are supported in areas such as:

o Living and working at homeo Restricted movemento Online or distance learningo Lack of social support

• The peer counsellors assist students to adjust as follows:o Academicallyo Socialo Mental and emotional well-beingo Institutional adjustment o Social support

Health and Wellness

The SWS nurses in collaboration with doctors, peer counselors promote the physical health and wellness of the students.

Academic SupportPeer Counsellors assist Students with:• Goal Management• Study skills • Overall Wellness• Self-Care• ADHD• ADD• Other Challenger

Screening and Testing

Department of Health Testing Sites:

• City of Cape Town Facilities

• Western Cape Department of Health Facilities

• Groote Schuur Hospital 021 44 2003/4 or 021 404 2006/7

Current Situation

• Imminent 3rd Wave;

• Student Funding;

• Outstanding Debt;

• Online Access Equity;

• Data Equity;

• Climate Change

Current Situation on Campus:

For period 01 January to 14 May 2021 the university supported by 45 SWS Staff has reported the following:

Individual Students Referred for Testing: 23

Positive Cases Recorded 13

Students in Self-Isolation 213

Students in Quarantine 104

Covid -19 Deaths (Students) 1

Total Students Living at Residences 6514

Total Students Living in Leased Facilities 838

Challenges At University

• COVID-19 Related Expenses

• Quarantine Food

• Cost of Transport for Students Back Home

• Super Spreader Student Events – Student Behavior

• Anxiety / Depression / Attempted Suicides

• Crime

• Loss of Income – Refunds

Challenges faced in Africa

• Slow to No-Vaccine Arrival

• Vaccine Cost for Africa

• Gender Based Violence

• Hunger

• Job Losses

Opportunities

• Fast Tracking 4IR

• Innovative Interventions

CONCLUSION

• UCT Fire 18 April 2021

THE OUTCOME

• Transformative Human Encounters

• The Chronicles

“If you pour a handful of salt into a cup of water, thewater becomes undrinkable. But if you pour the saltinto a river, people can continue to draw the water tocook, wash, and drink. The river is immense, and ithas the capacity to receive, embrace, and transform.When our hearts are small, our understanding andcompassion are limited, and we suffer. We can’taccept or tolerate others and their shortcomings, andwe demand that they change. But when our heartsexpand, these same things don’t make us sufferanymore. We have a lot of understanding andcompassion and can embrace others. We acceptothers as they are, and then they have a chance totransform. So the big question is: how do we help ourhearts to grow?” – Thich Nhat Hanh

References:

DSA Covid 19 Student Support Plan Version 2.3 Feb 2021

Department of Student Affairs UCT COVID-19 Social Compact Reference Document

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/covid-19_pandemic_in_southafrica• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/covid-19-timeline_by_country_in_africa• http://en.wikipediia.org/wiki/covid-19_pandemic• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/covid-19_lockdowns• http://en.businessinsider.com/caronavirus-pandemic-timeline-history-major-events-2020-3?IR=T• http://www.who.int/docs/default-source/caronavirus/situation-report/20200121-sitrep-1-2019-ncov.pdf?sfvrsn=20• http://iafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/lockdown-levels.jpeg• http://www.dnaindia.com/health/news-covid-19-vaccine-timeline-on-nine-countries-which-startedrolling-out-vaccines• http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/seychelles-become-first-african-country-to-roll-out-covid-19-vaccine• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/24/vaccine-rollout-which-countries-have-started• http://www.gov.za/covid-19/about/coronavirus-covid-19-alert-level-1#• http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/university-of-cape-town-facilities-closed-coronavirus• http://citizen.co.za/news/covid-19/2259598/uct-urges-students-to-go-home-due-to-lockdown/• www.africanmind.co.za/wp-content• www.higherhealth.ac.za• www.saus.org.za

• www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/cyril-ramaphosa-health-workers-covid-vaccine-sa/• http://citizen.co.za/news/covid-19/2444113/meet-the-nurse-who-vaccinated-president-cyril-ramaphosa