With an increasing number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in New Zealand, this update shares the precautionary approach we’re continuing to take to safeguard our staff, students and visitors, whose health and wellbeing remains our top priority.
Our Incident Management Team is still meeting daily to review and analyse the situation and we are continuing to follow the advice of the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization. We urge you to do the same in your daily lives, and to adhere to their messaging to ensure effective and consistent good hygiene practice. Correct hand washing and drying remains key.
The travel restrictions introduced by the New Zealand Government last month remain in place, and have now been extended through to next Tuesday, 10 March 2020. For more information on countries affected, please see the latest travel advisory on the Ministry of Health website. Travellers to New Zealand from an increasing number of countries are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days from their date of departure, including China-based students who have opted to travel to another country for self-isolation on their way to New Zealand.
In addition, we have introduced the following precautionary requirements for students and staff:
- All International students arriving via another country must check-in with International Student Support or make an appointment on arrival at Unitec and provide supporting documentation showing that they have self-isolated for the mandatory 14-day period prior to attending classes. We have communicated this to them. Once this check-in has occurred, the Student Support team will contact the relevant teacher/s to confirm the student is cleared to attend class.
- All domestic students who have recently returned from one of the identified countries also need to provide supporting documentation prior to attending classes. If you know of these students, please call 0800 10 75 10 so we can contact them directly or email International Student Support.
- We are currently reviewing the status of international staff travel and will keep you updated. Our temporary restriction on staff travel to China remains in place.
- Our Te Puna Ako team and teaching staff have been providing remote learning advice and activities to those 108 students who have not been able to start their courses due to travel restrictions. After consultation with individual Schools, we have agreed that the latest date that students can arrive at Unitec to attend classes is Monday 23 March 2020. We can’t guarantee after that date that students won’t be unduly disadvantaged by the disruption to their learning.
- As we heard from our Prime Minister earlier today, the most important thing people can do if they are sick, is to stay at home. If you have concerns about your health, call Healthline on its dedicated COVID-19 number 0800 358 5453 (or +64 9 358 5453 for international SIMS), or contact your GP by phoning ahead rather than just turning up at the surgery. They can assess your symptoms and give advice over the phone.
- Te Puna Waiora (our Wellness Centre) continues to offer treatment and advice, but if you or one of your students is visibly unwell with flu-like symptoms, please call first on 0800 10 85 10. With any other health issues, make an appointment online or visit in person as usual, and you’ll be screened at reception
We appreciate that many of our students and staff will have further questions around course deferrals, refunds on fees and impacts on future applications. The provision and process for this will be confirmed and communicated as soon as possible.
Thank you all for your dedication, commitment, support and hard work to support our students during this challenging time. It is a time of heightened anxiety for many, and your compassion and assistance are much appreciated. As we’ve said previously, should the risks of coronavirus be increased, we will respond accordingly and make further changes as necessary.
Previous updates and info published on the Nest:
- Coronavirus: Update 2 March 2020
- Coronavirus: Update 25 February – Further extension on travel restrictions
- Coronavirus: Update 21 February 2020
- Coronavirus: Update 10 February 2020
- Coronavirus: Update 5 February 2020
- Coronavirus: Update 4 February 2020
- FAQs: Updated as at 3 February 2020
- Coronavirus: What you need to know to protect yourself and our students – 29 January 2020