ANU COVID Live Blog: 17 August

20.09

The petition for a teaching break has now reached over 4000 signatures.

15.22

An ANU spokesperson has stated that they’re currently providing Wamburun, Fenner and Toad halls with breakfast, snacks, fruit, and dinner. Residents in these halls are able to access kitchen facilities for lunch at designated times. Students self-isolating in studio apartments are able to order contactless deliveries. Acknowledging the delays in the delivery of essential food and personal hygiene items, the University can deliver pantry packs to students waiting on deliveries. These packs are provided at no additional cost. Any resident that may be experiencing these delays and requires an additional pantry pack of food and other personal essentials is encouraged to contact [email protected].

12.12

The ACT recorded an additional 22 cases overnight.

19.51

The petition for a teaching break now has over 2000 signatures

18.19

On the petition calling for a teaching break.

The petition – having launched over an hour ago – has now reached 860 signatures.

17.27

Petition Launches Calling for a Teaching Break 

A petition has launched approx 15 mins ago calling on ANU to have teaching break, like other universities across Canberra.

A teaching break occurred in semester one 2020, in response to the initial outbreak of COVID. The reason then was so the university could appropriately prepare themselves for online learning.

Now, however, students say a teaching break “is about student wellbeing, and fairness in light of understandably large amounts of academic disruptions”.

The University has reportedly rejected the idea of a teaching break. The petition (at the time of writing) has garnered 34 signatures.

The link to the petition can be found here.

16.55

ABC Canberra reported recently that the EPIC testing centre has shut for today due to high demand.

The closest centre to ANU is O’Conner (Capital Pathology). Opens at 8am-4pm. Alternatively the centre at Woden is open until 7pm tonight.

Click here for the location and hours of other testing sites.

16.49

An important point to stress as well with the recent upgrade to red level is there are NO confirmed cases of COVID-19 on campus.

16.36

For those currently in quarantine at res halls here’s a link to support services offered by ANU.

16.31

ANU Alert Level Upgraded to RED – Extreme Risk

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Ian Anderson, in an email to all ANU students, announced campus has been upgraded to an extreme risk level. This comes after continued community transmission in the ACT, and the emergence of close contacts residing in ANU’s residential halls.

Anderson stressed that the university is “not aware of any cases affecting our campus”. Most rules and restrictions associated with ‘extreme risk’ have already been taking place. Rather, it aims to caution students on the necessity of their actions.

15.24

ALL Res Halls Subject to Enhanced Stay at Home Orders

From today every residential hall at ANU will be subject to enhanced stay at home orders in order to “remove the uncertainty of rules in residences changing back and forward”, said Deputy Vice-Chancellor Ian Anderson.

These measures will remain in place until Friday, with ANU conducting a reassessment then.

Each res hall will have slightly different rules and procedures, dependant on the facilities available. However, all residences will move into pods so they are able to share kitchen and bathroom facilities, as well as exercise with a chosen resident.

14.03

ANUSA is trying to call a special general meeting so the association is able to move money into its financial assistance program.

President Madhu Janagaraja said the current pool is running low, and the association is waiting for a “top-up” from the university. Students are still encouraged to apply for grants from ANUSA.

13.09

Just a reminder for students who are looking to get vaccinated.

• University Pharmacy on campus is offering Astra-Zeneca.
• Garema Place Surgery has plenty of appointments for Astra-Zeneca open.

Note: The National Health Co-op will NOT vaccinate under 60’s with Astra-Zeneca.

12.44

The initial Fiction cluster has now grown to 6 (not including secondary contacts).

12.28

Bit of confusion going around in regards to the ‘intimate partner’ rule – as noted by ACT Health. Halls across ANU have been told they are NOT allowed to see their partners, even if they live in the same building.

Residents can only follow the terms of their enhanced stay at home orders, which typically involves only being allowed to see one other resident for one-hour exercise. The chosen resident has to be from the same wing.

12.02

Residential Halls that are currently under “Enhanced-Stay-at-Home-Orders”, such as Fenner Hall, are unable to leave the building for vaccinations. The new orders do allow residents outside for an hour a day for exercise purposes.

11.46

UPDATED COVID CASES 

17 cases recorded overnight.

11.34

The terms of the lockdown at Wright means residents cannot leave the building for essential work, exercise, shopping etc. Residents cannot leave their rooms either with food being delivered to rooms.

The hall will be awaiting negative test results of the newly identified close contacts.

11.28

Morning everyone. To start off the day Observer understands two close contacts have been identified at Wright Hall, sending the hall into another quarantine/lockdown.

As such, all residents at the hall are considered second-order contacts. We also understand some residents have been transferred to Bruce Hall’s Packard Wing to conduct their mandatory self-isolation.

11.28

Updated List of Close Contact Exposure Sites

Updated List of Casual Contact Exposure Sites

Updated list of Monitor for Symptoms Exposure Sites