Dear colleagues
This campus announcement aims to inform the UCT community about recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) updates and other developments on campus.
1. Update on UCT COVID-19 cases
UCT has not had any reported cases of new COVID-19 infections since the last update issued on 6 May 2020. All eight individuals (five staff members and three students) who previously tested positive have now fully recovered.
2. UCT tutorial videos on conferencing and smartphone filming
As the workplace is redefined and more people are required to work from home for the foreseeable future, UCT’s Communication and Marketing Department (CMD) has produced tutorial video resources to assist the university community with tips for effective video conferencing and how to create high quality videos with your smartphone. With a focus on remote teaching and learning, there is a need for innovative online solutions. Video is a medium that can allow for higher levels of engagement when operating in a virtual environment. CMD hopes these tips will assist staff in engaging effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
3. Phishing emails on the rise
There have been a spate of phishing emails being sent by external parties to UCT staff and/or students, with the most recent attempt requesting a staff member to click a link to approve a salary increase. Upon clicking the link, either a PDF file is downloaded or the recipient is redirected to a malicious website where they are required to enter their UCT username and password. Staff and students are urged to remain vigilant.
Communication and Marketing Department
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COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March 2020 and to implement a national lockdown from 26 March 2020. UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated with the latest COVID-19 information. Please note that the information on this page is subject to change depending on current lockdown regulations.
Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has in June 2022 repealed some of South Africa’s remaining COVID-19 regulations: namely, sections 16A, 16B and 16C of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions under the National Health Act. We are now no longer required to wear masks or limit gatherings. Venue restrictions and checks for travellers coming into South Africa have now also been removed.
On Wednesday, 20 July, staff from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences came together with representatives from the Western Cape Government at the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre at Forest Hill Residence to acknowledge the centre’s significance in the fight against COVID-19 and to thank its staff for their contributions. The centre opened on 1 September 2021 with the aim of providing quality vaccination services to UCT staff, students and the nearby communities, as well as to create an opportunity for medical students from the Faculty of Health Sciences to gain practical public health skills. The vaccination centre ceased operations on Friday, 29 July 2022.
With the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.
“After almost a year of operation, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, located at the Forest Hill residence complex in Mowbray, will close on Friday, 29 July 2022. I am extremely grateful and proud of all staff, students and everyone involved in this important project.”
– Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamokgethi PhakengWith the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.
UCT’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) collaborated with Global Citizen, speaking to trusted experts to dispel vaccine misinformation.
If you have further questions about the COVID-19 vaccine check out the FAQ produced by the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF). The DTHF has developed a dedicated chat function where you can ask your vaccine-related questions on the bottom right hand corner of the website.
IDM YouTube channel | IDM website
“As a contact university, we look forward to readjusting our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in 2023 as the COVID-19 regulations have been repealed.”
– Prof Harsha Kathard, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning
We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will be updating the UCT community regularly – as and when there are further updates. If you are concerned or need more information, students can contact the Student Wellness Service on 021 650 5620 or 021 650 1271 (after hours), while staff can contact 021 650 5685.