10. Department of Fine Art Health and Safety Protocols

Under Covid-19

What is COVID-19 and How do you get it?

• Caused by a virus referred to as SARS-Cov-2

• How is it spread – the virus gets in through our mouth, nostrils, eyes, open wounds. COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through molecular droplets of sputum, mucus / nasal discharge (bodily fluids) primarily from infected persons that are coughing or sneezing. These molecular droplets contain infective virus particles. Transmission takes place through direct contact of these virus particles on a person’s hands, followed by touching the eyes, nose or mouth.

• The spikes of the virus attach to our lungs, uses RNA to replicate and destroy our cells, causes upper respiratory infection; (far more dangerous for those with weaker immune systems (particular persons with immunocompromised or immunosuppressed systems e.g. cancer, TB, heart/lung disease, people over 60 years of age); can cause lower respiratory tract infections such as acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but doctors are learning every day of more and more outcomes of this infection.

• Symptoms vary from mild flu-like symptoms to pneumonia, but also other forms of non-respiratory symptoms like loss of smell and taste, gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhoea and vomiting). Many people may also be asymptomatic (i.e., they don’t display any symptoms/display typical COVID-19 symptoms) and may also be infectious.

• Common COVID-19 symptoms include:

– Fever (or fluctuations in body temperature)

– Difficulty in breathing

– Fatigue

– Headaches

– Diarrhoea

– Body aches and pains

– Dry cough

– Runny nose / sneezing

• If you think you’re experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as high fever, breathing difficulty (i.e. such as shortness of breath and wheezing), fatigue and body pains or if you are unable to eat or drink then call your doctor/healthcare worker immediately or go to a designated hospital.

Employees and Students (Self-Management)

• Employees and students must strictly adhere to the rules in the various COVID-19 related in Government Gazette’s as well as University protocols. This includes practicing good personal hygiene practices (i.e. for coughing/sneezing into one’s elbow, washing of hands and physical distancing rules).

• Office spaces must be arranged to ensure that the required physical distancing rules are applied and, where this is not possible, the necessary screening/barricading must be applied. Each University entity will identify these requirements based on the outcome of their respective entity risk assessments.

• All persons are required by law to wear a mask when in public. All public buildings/institutions are by law required to enforce the wearing of masks by all who enter their premises. Refusal to wear a mask and to undergo symptom screening is a punishable offence. Staff and students are required to wear a mask at all times when interacting with each other, and to practice good cough etiquette (cough into your elbow) and physical distancing (1.5m-2m).

• Furthermore, the university is required to provide hand sanitisers for the use of all staff and students.

• Daily cleaning of surfaces and equipment is key in controlling the spread of the disease as is good ventilation of all rooms/ venues.

• Attendance registers will be issued and for most spaces there will be a roster of who is allowed to work in a lab space during which hour or during which day in the studio if it is a shared studio space (sometimes advance bookings will be essential). This will be to ensure physical distancing, to track-and-trace in case of an infection when other persons need to be notified for quarantining and/or if there needs to be an University investigation.

• NO VISITORS (even non-Fine Art students) will be allowed access to Fine Art spaces under COVID-conditions!

• You will receive a notice on your mobile phone that either clears you for entry or denies you entry to campus.

• Show your clearance note to the security officers before entering campus.

• For those staff members and students without smartphones or computers, hard copies of the screening form can be filled in and/or dropped off in boxes at the gates.

• Refusal to undergo symptom screening, is a disciplinable offence. Not undergoing symptom screening defeats the University’s goal of maintaining a healthy and safe work environment as explicated in the University’s OHS&E Policy as well as Section 8 of the OHS Act.

• For more information on the Wits Covid-19 Screening Process, visit: http://www.wits.ac.za/covid19/covid19-screening-tool/

Entry And Access To Wsoa And Fine Art Pg Venues

• Use the Logbox Self-Screening App to self-screen every day –this must be done in advance of coming to campus.

Online Self-Screening Form/App: LOGBOX APP

• The Wits Screening App (LogBox Patient Application) is live and can be downloaded from the App Store or the Google Play Store.

• Staff members and students must COMPLETE THE SELFSCREENING FORM ON THE APP EVERY DAY, BEFORE entering campus.

• Follow the initial instructions in the Covid-19 WITS SCREENING APP BROCHURE to set up the app.

• Fill in the screening form daily (truthfully).

Symptom Screening

• COVID-19 is a notifiable disease and, daily symptom screening is mandatory for all persons (including, employees, students, contractors, service providers, suppliers and visitors) prior to accessing the University’s premises.

• Self-administered symptom screening has been made available for this purpose for employees and students.

• Vaccines are currently made freely available to all staff and students in the Sports Multipurpose Hall.

• If you have uploaded your vaccine certificate already, then whenever you enter campus, complete the Logbox Screening tool daily and your student card should give you access automatically. If you have forgotten your student card, then you can still gain entry by showing security your Govt ID, your vaccine certificate QR code, and filling in the Logbox tool.

• Any student who did not want to vaccinate was already given notice that they had to apply for reasonable accommodation on the vaccination portal (reasonable accommodation on medical or constitutional grounds). Such cases have been heard by the Faculty with recommendations from the Dept/School. The university retains the right not to accommodate such requests and to either refuse registration or deregister students, where studies cannot be carried out effectively.

• Students granted RA (Reasonable Accommodation) have to have produce a negative antigen test weekly (these can be done on campus), and where a student can demonstrate they cannot pay, they can apply to the university to pay for such tests. Such students are also not allowed to congregate in common areas.

• No student is allowed into Uni residence on RA basis.

As of January 2022

What to do if…

• Test positive for COVID-19 (PCR/Antigen test) with NO symptoms

• Test Positive for COVID-19 (PCR/Antigen test) AND with Symptoms

• Develop Symptoms of COVID-19

• Close contact with a positive COVID-19 person

Scenario A:

• If you test positive and do not have symptoms then no isolation is needed and you can come to campus. Follow the standard safety COVID-19 Protocols 1M+2V+3Ss– wear Mask, stay in well-Ventilated areas, Vaccinate, complete the COVID-19 Screening tool, Social Distance 1.5m and Sanitise hands often.

Scenario B:

• If you test positive and show symptoms you need to isolate for 7 days, do not come to campus. Return to campus after 7 days with a sick note. If with moderate/severe COVID-19 illness, provide medical certificate to anna.moloi@wits.ac.za to return to campus.

Scenario C:

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 please do not come to campus. You do not have to isolate, but monitor the symptoms and seek medical advice as needed. Return to campus when healthy with sick note as required by Faculty/Line Manager.

Scenario D: https://ulwazi.wits.ac.za/courses/19776/pages/wits-covid-19-handbook

• If you were in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 and you do not have symptoms then no isolation is needed and you can come to campus. Continue to monitor for symptoms and follow COVID-19 Protocols in no 1. All information is available on the Wits COVID-19 Handbook.

• More Frequently Asked Questions on the Wits website.

• All COVID related information for students and staff pertaining to the Academic year on the Wits COVID-19 Handbook.

• Information for accessing campus on the Screening & Testing Section: https://ulwazi.wits.ac.za/courses/19776/pages/3-screening-and-testing

PERSONS WITH COVID-19 SYMPTOMS ON CAMPUS

• If COVID-19 symptoms are detected while the employee is on Campus, then the following protocol, must be followed:

• The person experiencing COVID-19 symptoms must be reassured and comforted.

• A person wearing a face mask must immediately isolate the person without touching the person.

• The person suffering symptoms must be given a new medical face mask (the old one must be carefully discarded).

• The person should be taken to a well ventilated isolation area (that is away from other persons). Attempts should be made to ensure that the isolation area is amply ventilated, e.g. such as opening a window. There are isolation rooms in WSOA, UC-7 and Wolmarans.

• If possible, this isolation area must be near to toilet facilities. If persons experiencing COVID-19 symptoms needs to go to the bathroom whilst waiting for medical assistance or to be transferred to their isolation/quarantine venue, then they should use a bathroom that is not being used by anyone else at the time (if such a facility is available).

• Friends or family must not be permitted to sit with the person. A distance of at least 2 metres must be kept between the person experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and any other people in the vicinity.

• The person must be asked to avoid touching people, surfaces and objects and that they must cover their mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when they cough or sneeze. They must be asked to put the tissue in the bin. If no bin is available, to put the tissue in a bag or pocket for disposing in a bin later. If no tissues are available, they should cough and sneeze into the crook of their elbow.

• Ensure that there is no stigmatisation and that the process ensures little or no emotional trauma.

• After assisting the person all those that have assisted must wash their hands according to the handwashing guidelines.

• Campus Health and Wellness Centre must be informed of the situation (Sister Maggie) and persons notifying CHWC must implement any advice or instructions that they are provided with. While notifying CHWC the name and condition of the person must be provided.

• If the staff member/student is safely capable of doing so by themself, and without placing other people at risk of exposure, then they must safely leave Campus and proceed to a place where they will be able to self-isolate or to an offCampus Healthcare Facility for further medical examination by Healthcare Workers to determine whether testing is necessary.

• If the staff member/student is not safely capable of doing so by themself, then arrangements must be made for the person to be transported in a manner that does not place other persons at risk to a place off-Campus to be self-isolated or to an off-Campus Healthcare Facility (i.e. such as by means of an ambulance service).

• The HoS/Manager/Director for the University area in which the incident occurred must:

• Assess the area for risk of transmission and arrange to have the area disinfected/sanitised.

• Refer persons who may have been in contact/exposed to the person (and who may be at risk) to consult with their Healthcare Worker and to take any other appropriate measure(s) to prevent possible transmission.

• In the event that the person is a student at a student’s residence (i.e. resides on Campus) then the person must remain in their room, seek advice telephonically from relevant Campus Housing and Residence Life (CHRL) staff and follow the CHRL protocols on notification/quarantining/testing.

Notification when Persons are Quarantined

• In the event that persons are going to be confined to a designated quarantine site then it is necessary for the following entities to be notified as soon as possible:

– The Section 16.2 Assignee in whose area the quarantine venue is located (i.e. HoS / University entity Director / Manager / Head):

• Prof Sharlene Khan (HoD) – 011 717 4637

Dorothee Kreutzfeld (HoD, Fine Art OHS Rep) – 011 717 9999

• Dr René Smith (HoS) – 011 717 4613

– Head Campus Health and Wellness Centre:

Sister Maggie Maseka – 011 717 1211

– Director Services: Israel Mogomotsi – 011 717 1701

– Director Campus Control: Gary Kruser – 011 717 1852

– Senior Director Human Resources:

Dr Kgmotso Kasonkola – 011 717 1401

– Jo-anne-Zastrau at Dept-OHS-Admin@wits.ac.za

– Dean of Student Affairs: Jerome September – 011 717 1501

– South African Depression and Anxiety Group 24-hour

Helpline: 0800 456 789

• South African Suicide Line: 0800 567 567

• Department of Health’s WhatsApp number: 0600123456

• National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)/Covid-19 Public Hotline: 080 002 999

COUNSELLING / EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

• Staff/students have access to emotional support services. Kaelo (for staff) and ICAS (for students) will provide counselling for persons to enable them to cope with the prevailing pandemic situation.

• The following information is provided via the Communications Division regarding access to emotional support:

– The NICD’s Coronavirus Emergency 24-hour hotline number: 0800 029 999

– NICD website: www.nicd.ac.za

– Wits Student Crisis Line: 0800 111 331

– Wits Student Crisis Line is fully operational and available in all official South African languages on 0800 111 331

– Staff counselling services: 0861 635 766 or a ‘please call me’ message to 072 620 5699 or an e-mail sent to: asknelson@kaelo.co.za

Other Resources:

• More resources available at the National Institute for Occupational Health (posters, videos): https://www.nioh.ac.za/

• National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) Frequently Asked Questions on Covid-19: https://www.nicd. ac.za/diseases-a-z-index/covid-19/frequently-asked-questions/