Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) COVID-19 Updates
The spread global pandemic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to South Africa at the end of February 2020 saw President Cyril Ramaphosa declaring a national disaster on 15 March. This was followed by the implementation of various measures to mitigate its spread, including a national lockdown with regulations to limit social interaction and economic activities. The intention of these initial measures was to slow down transmission of infection and enable the health system to better prepare itself to deal with the pandemic. While these measures are being relaxed in stages, it has demanded much agility from all South Africans in responding and conforming to ‘a new normal’.
The impact on teaching, learning and research has been profound. Like others across the world, the University has been working hard to continue its operations remotely, navigating and adapting to new challenges as the reality of living with COVID-19 unfolds.
Within the Faculty of Health Sciences, in particular, the safety of our staff and students has been at the forefront of this response. New guidelines and processes are being developed for adapted ways of teaching, learning, research and working in health services.
This COVID-19 landing page is a repository of information resources for staff and students, providing links related to our response to COVID-19. Use it to access documents, guidelines and a range of communications.
Enquiries: Email dimakatso.modise@uct.ac.za
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UPDATES
Find the updates sent to the Faculty community as well as those posted on the IDM website.
IDM COVID-19 UPDATES is a web resource page with links to information and valuable tips from reliable sources, for the community of the Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine.
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EVENTS
Source information on events taking place in the Faculty, including a CALENDAR and RECORDINGS of COVID-19 events
WEBINARS/WORKSHOPS
Weekly COVID-19 clinician-based virtual meetings on the ECHO ZOOM platform, featuring both international and national clinicians and researchers. These weekly meetings are chaired by Prof Meintjes, together with a panel of infectious disease specialists, respiratory physicians and critical care specialists. The recordings are made available each week on this site within 3 days of the meeting having been held.
CALENDER
View our calendar to see upcoming events
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RESEARCH
Find important information for the Faculty research community during COVID-19:
The FHS is committed to the safety of both staff and students in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mindful of the disruption throughout these past weeks due to the response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdown, Faculty has endeavoured to establish guidelines for a new way of working in our research context.
HEALTH SCIENCES RESEARCH INFORMATION TASK TEAM
The Health Sciences Research Information Task Team was created in response to the pandemic, to meet the proliferation of needs with respect to research-related information in the Faculty at this time.
UCT FHS APPROACH TO RESEARCH IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
The task team developed a UCT FHS approach to research in the time of COVID-19.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Scientists from the Faculty are also working in collaboration with colleagues based at UCT as well as in partnering institutions, to develop and conduct research in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A summary of this research is available.
HUMAN RESEARCH ETHICS
The Human Research Ethics Committee appointed to oversee the safety, rights and welfare of human participants in research has developed guiding documentation regarding COVID-19. This is available under the “WHAT’S NEW?” tab.
FACULTY NOTICES
- 18 April 2020 - UCT FHS approach to research in the time of COVID-19
- 26 March 2020 - FHS Animal Ethics Committee in response to COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown period
- 24 March 2020 - Faculty of Health Sciences Research Ethics Office: remote administrative support
- 18 March 2020 - FHS Update: COVID-19: clarification on meeting with self-funded international Registrars
- 17 March 2020 - COVID-19: FHS Human Research Ethics Committee Recommendations for Research Studies & Research Sites Involving Humans
- 17 March 2020 - Update on COVID-19 for Research Community
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UCT RETURN TO WORK POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
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TEACHING AND LEARNING
Find important information and documentation related to TEACHING and LEARNING during COVID 19
TEACHERS
Remote Teaching and Learning Resources 2020
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
- 13 May 2020 - Communique to students
- 8 May 2020 - Remote Teaching Update
- 24 April 2020 - Remote Teaching Update
- 22 April 2020 - Update on student engagement on teaching and learning during COVID-19
- 17 April 2020 - Remote Teaching Update
- 27 March 2020 - Undergraduate teaching and learning in Health Sciences
POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY AND BIOSAFETY
Find information related to HEALTH and SAFETY precautions for working in different environments in the Faculty during COVID-19
CONTACTS
- Key Operational Support Services for FHS during COVID-19
- COVID-19 Pandemic: National Call Centres and Hotlines
- FHS OHS Committee Contact Details
PREVENTING AND MANAGING INFECTION
- FHS COVID-19 Related SOP: Occupational Health and Safety Protection and Management of Staff, Students and Visitors in relation to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- UCT: Infographic: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- DOH: COVID-19 Disease: Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines
- WCG DOH: Circular H70 of 2020: Preventing and managing Coronavirus infection in the workplace
- Government Gazette, Vol. 660, 4 June 2020, No. 43400
- FHS Poster: Bathroom Do’s and Don’ts
- FHS Poster: Kitchen Do’s and Don’ts
- UCT: How to set up an isolation room
- UCT: Guide to Setting up an Isolation Room
SCREENING
PPE
- FHS COVID-19 Related SOP: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use for ALL staff and Students.
- FHS: Personal Protective Equipment Controller - Letter of Appointment
- FHS: issuing and inspection register for the PPE issued during the COVID-19 pandemic
- UCT: UCT Central Process - Ordering PPE stock via the online form.
- WCG DOH: Guidelines for PPE use during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), 25 March 2020
- WCG DOH: Best practice guidelines for the use of cloth masks only in non-healthcare settings
CLEANING AND DISINFECTION
POSSIBLE INFECTION OR EXPOSURE
- FHS COVID-19 Related SOP: Possible Coronavirus Infection or Exposure for ALL staff and Students.
- WHO: Risk assessment and management of exposure of health care workers in the context of COVID-19
- UCT Occupational Health Unit: Compensation for Occupationally Acquired Novel Corona Virus disease (COVID-19)
- UCT Occupational Health Unit: Workplace guidelines – Managing an on-premises symptomatic case of suspected COVID-19
- DOH: Guidelines for quarantine and isolation in relation to COVID-19 exposure and infection
- DOH: 10 day isolation
- DOH: Circular H174 of 2020 - COVID-19 isolation and quarantine time periods
RESEARCH
- FHS COVID-19 Related SOP: Infection Control Guidelines for Laboratory Workers
- FHS COVID-19 Related SOP: BCL Medical waste management
BIOSAFETY
- FHS: Biosafety Guidelines for Research on COVID-19 and SARS-COV-2
- FHS COVID-19 Related SOP: Handling and Receiving Hazardous Substances Waste in the Hazardous Waste Holding Facility
TEACHING
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HUMAN RESOURCES
Find important information on HR policy and processes during COVID-19:Faculty updates
- 20 March 2020 - HR Client Services (FHS HUB) Contingency Plan
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MEDIA RESOURCES
These relate to the valuable information-related outputs of the Faculty during COVID-19
Faculty updates
- 7 April 2020 - Sharing amazing work being done by our staff and students in responding to COVID-19
- 3 April 2020 - Guidelines for engaging with external media and social media during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 28 March 2020 - Social media etiquette for health professionals
- 28 March 2020 - Faculty Response: WhatsApp Voice Notes on COVID-19
MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTS
Educational material including videos, interviews and other health promotion products
VIDEOS
These educational videos were produced by the Department of Medicine
POSTERS
NEWS FROM UCT
COVERAGE BY EXTERNAL MEDIA
27 May 2020 - Guidelines for engaging with external media and social media during the COVID-19 pandemic
Date Source Article 21 May 2020 Daily Marverick Unravelling the riddle of the Western Cape’s high Covid-19 numbers 20 May 2020 The Citizen Testing glitches and ‘skewed results’ threaten level 3 19 May 2020 Media 24 Covid-19: Call to reduce 'unnecessary' screening and testing in SA - and to target areas of concern 17 May 2020 Media 24 Experts call for streamlining and rationalising of testing 16 May 2020 Media 24 Covid-19: Some health experts critical of lockdown regulations 14 May 2020 Reuters Walk-through sanitising booth sprays South African commuters -
UCT SITE
- UCT has created a Coronavirus Disease 2019 updates page which offers a range of relevant information.
- FAQ's
- New information relating to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South Africa is being made available on an almost hourly basis via various news and social media channels. The University of Cape Town (UCT) is also providing its communities with the latest information, which is being loaded daily onto the university’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 webpage. Some of the responses below are dated to indicate when last the information was updated.For more information specific to research, please refer to the COVID-19 FAQs for researchers and for postgraduates.
- The Department of Health has FAQs, helpful hotlines, and other tips.
- UCT has created a Coronavirus Disease 2019 updates page which offers a range of relevant information.
Videos
Personal Protective Equipment |
Introduction, do's and dont's |
Flattening the curve |
