UCT responses to questions posed by staff

23 November 2020 | Dr Reno Morar, COO

Dear colleagues

Thank you for your continued resilience and commitment during this current phase of COVID-19 and Lockdown Level 1. This is a time when we are all adapting to change and uncertainty as some of us continue to work remotely, others are returning to campus and still others are balancing between working from home and on campus.

Over the past few weeks, and during the online staff assembly on Tuesday, 13 October in particular, staff members have posed questions to the University of Cape Town (UCT) Executive about how we will work in these changing times. It is natural to be concerned about the impact the pandemic has had on the economy, our university and within our own lives, families and communities, including the teams in which we work.

We are responding to as many of these questions as possible in this time of uncertainty. Responses are being loaded onto the webpage for frequently asked questions (FAQs) about UCT’s response to COVID-19 regularly as decisions are implemented.

We continue to encourage colleagues to work from home if you are able to. We have noted several questions that have been raised about working remotely, and these are dealt with in the FAQ for UCT staff members. One underlying principle is that it is important to discuss your concerns and preferences with your line manager, who needs to make the final decision about which staff functions can be completed remotely and which functions require a return to campus. Keep in mind there are also ways to minimise contact with other staff members in the office, such as staggering work hours. This also can be discussed with your line manager.

The FAQ offers responses to staff members’ questions about returning to campus to ensure the effective running of the university; sick leave as well as annual leave that needs to be taken, particularly as we move swiftly towards the end of the year; the possibility of furlough or retrenchments; UCT’s position on salary increases; and staff transport to and from work in Lockdown Level 1. You can find these responses under the appropriate question in the FAQ.

There is also a FAQ section devoted to completing the 2020 academic year and beginning the 2021 year.

Health and safety protocols are always a top priority at UCT, especially as some of us begin to return to campus and increase our contacts with colleagues and students. Please take a moment to remind yourself of the health and safety protocols for returning to campus, including the need to complete the HealthCheck app every day before returning to campus.

Self-care and mental health are essential during this challenging time. While lockdown regulations have relaxed, we must remain vigilant against the pandemic. We must each also watch for signs of depression, anxiety and burnout, which are common in times of unusual stress. Staff support remains available to you through UCT Human Resources (UCT HR) as well as our contracted counselling services: the Independent Counselling and Advisory Services (ICAS) and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).

The UCT executive is committed to keeping the lines of communication open. I suggest that if you have a question that your line manager or the FAQ cannot address, please email the relevant UCT HR Business Partner for your department.

Sincerely

Dr Reno Morar
Chief Operating Officer
Chair of the COVID-19 Co-ordinating Committee


Read previous communications:


Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Please view the republishing articles page for more information.


UCT’s response to COVID-19

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.

In July 2022, the University of Cape Town (UCT) revised its approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic on UCT campuses in 2022.
Read the latest document available on the UCT policies web page.

 

Campus communications

 
2022

Adjusting to our new environment 16:50, 23 June 2022
VC Open Lecture and other updates 17:04, 13 April 2022
Feedback from UCT Council meeting of 12 March 2022 09:45, 18 March 2022
UCT Council
March 2022 graduation celebration 16:45, 8 March 2022
Report on the meeting of UCT Council of 21 February 2022 19:30, 21 February 2022
UCT Council
COVID-19 management 2022 11:55, 14 February 2022
Return to campus arrangements 2022 11:15, 4 February 2022

UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre

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 Phakeng

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.


Thank You UCT Community

Frequently asked questions

 

Global Citizen Asks: Are COVID-19 Vaccines Safe & Effective?

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.

 

TOP