On Thursday, 02 December 2021, The Transversal Committee took resolutions in efforts to manage the outbreak and spread of the new COVID-19 variant (Omicron) in the University of Venda.
South Africa and the World is hit by the new SARS-CoV-2 variant named “Omicron”, which is labelled as the “variant of concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The new variant is said to be more transmittable than the already highly transmittable Delta variant. The University of Venda has until the close of business on Wednesday 02 December 2021 registered about 89 cases of infections on both students and staff members. This is one of the highest recorded cases of infection at the University of Venda since the onset of COVID-19.
The Transversal Committee on Business Continuity, charged with the responsibility to monitor the management of COVID-19 in the University of Venda, in its meeting of Thursday 02 December 2021 resolved the following:
Protection of Students
• All forms of student physical gatherings on Campus should be suspended.
• The gatherings will be suspended until such time that the University is confident that the situation has been contained.
• Students who are quarantining on Campus who have completed their examinations should be allowed to self-isolate at their homes where feasible.
Protection of Staff
• All staff physical meetings on Campus should be suspended until such time that the University is confident that the situation has been contained. In case where the meetings are outside Campus, such meetings must be held with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
• A COVID-19 Protocol plan for all off-campus meetings hosted by the University should be submitted to the Transversal Committee on Business Continuity for approval prior to the meeting.
• All staff members who can be productive off Campus are encouraged to work from home with the permission of the Line Managers and submission of staff lists on remote work to HR.
Continuous Monitoring
• Should the numbers rise to 100, the Campus Health Clinic should notify the Transversal Committee on Business Continuity, to make further recommendations to manage the scourge.
• The Committee will meet at any given time outside the weekly schedule to attend to any matters of urgency in the management of the pandemic.
Mr Aluwani Magadani
Chairperson Transversal Committee on Business Continuity
10 December 2021
