Kia ora koutou,

The Director of Health and Safety (Natasha Barnett) sent this message to all the Departmental Safety Officers.  I found it useful.  You can click on the images to make them large enough to read.

ngā mihi,

Sara

Tēnā koutou

Recently the media has been focused on the increasing number of COVID-19 cases across Aotearoa, and the emergence of new variants and reinfections. This may be worrying for some members of our UC community, particularly our most vulnerable.

We continue to track cases and household contact reports from staff and students and as you will see from the data below we are not seeing an increase in cases yet.

As we head into Semester 2 it is possible that the picture may change. Over the next week our COVID welfare team, led by George Haswell, will be preparing comms for students, both new and returning, and working on preparing resource to carry out this mahi. This includes re-engaging any staff who may have volunteered to support this project in Semester 1, and who continue to have availability to do so.

What does this mean for students and staff?

• We will be asking staff and students who are isolating as either a positive case or a household contact, to register this on Assura
• Students will receive a call from a member of the COVID-19 welfare team to check in on them. Māori, Pacific and Rainbow students will be called by a staff member from Te Waka Pākākano
• The staff member making the welfare call will be able to provide the student with general guidance, academic and isolation advice, and assess their eligibility for our Winter Warmth Power Fund.
• If the students need specialist mental health and wellbeing support, financial support or support with groceries, the staff member making the welfare call will make a referral to the relevant team.
• Line managers will be automatically notified when a staff member registers their isolation status on Assura, and will explore options with them. People and Culture Business Partners are also available to assist if needed.
• All students and staff receive an automated email upon completing the Assura form, this email contains information from both internal and external support services
• Reporting of COVID-19 case numbers will continue for key stakeholders such as Te Waka Pākākano, Accommodation Services and International Relationships Office.

Our Accommodation Services Team is engaging with the Halls of Residence to understand what support they may need from UC in the event another wave of COVID-19 causes major service disruption.

We have effective systems and measures in place but should a higher level of coordination/response be required, I will look to reconvene the Steering Group.

For up to date info on the support available to students and staff please see the Covid19 page.

Noho ora mai

Natasha