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Dear Campus Community

South Africa is currently under modified Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown. Please note the updated UWC advisory for research.

Laboratory-based research can continue under very strict adherence to the following COVID-19 protocols:
  1. Before accessing any UWC campus, researchers should complete the UWC COVID-19 screening; this is to be done daily. Where WizzPass does not work the existing COVID-19 symptom screening forms should be completed.
  2. All laboratory workers must wear masks, use hand sanitizer, maintain physical distancing, keep the numbers in the laboratory spaces to a minimum, and stay home when feeling ill.
We advise all community based-research to cease until 11 July 2021, when President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation again. In exceptional circumstances where this is not possible, we advise that researchers adhere to the following protocols:
  1. Before engaging with any community-based research, researchers should complete the UWC COVID-19 screening. This is to be done daily for the duration of the research period. Where WizzPass does not work the existing COVID-19 symptom screening forms should be completed.
  2. Wear a mask at ALL times.
  3. Study participants should be screened for a fever before the start of the interview.
  4. Maintain physical distancing (1.5-1.8m) when visiting your research site.
  5. Maintain physical distancing with interviewees. We advise that you interview one person at a time. If focus groups are to be interviewed, adhere to physical distancing guidelines, and keep numbers to a minimum.
  6. When required, make disposable masks available to the interviewees.
  7. Use a hand sanitizer for both the interviewer and interviewee(s).
For clinical research, where patients are attending clinics, the same cross-infection safety-protocols and COVID-19 control protocols that apply in the clinical environment must be applied.

*For more information and resources on COVID-19, consult UWC's COVID-19 Portal.

Issued by: Office of the DVC: Research and Development and the UWC COVID-19 Response Task Team
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