Nine months into the closure of educational institutions due to the coronavirus outbreak, it’s now been a contentious question whether, at least, the universities should be reopened. As university students are hit most in terms of uncertainty over completing session or starting a career, authorities are, therefore, considering resuming classes to minimise the losses they have already incurred in their academic life.
However, the issue of reopening comes with several questions which are yet to be answered properly. What measures will the authorities take to protect students, teachers and employees of the educational institutions? Or, what will they do in case a student is infected with the Covid-19?
If the classes are really resumed, the first thing the authorities can do is restrict outsiders’ entry into the campus. The students and academic staff should enter the university area after proper health checkup. University entrance must have all disinfecting equipment such as hand wash, sanitiser, masks, face shields, and a disinfectant gate. Classrooms, meeting and seminar rooms, prayer rooms, and other common spaces should be disinfected regularly.
Medical centres of the universities can play a vital role in controlling corona transmission. They should introduce a community-based prevention practice and case identification. There should be quarantine centres within each university’s healthcare capacity. Medical centres must have all facilities for isolation and supportive monitoring system. They can also help mitigate community transmission and contact tracing.
Secondly, all kinds of group activities and gatherings should be avoided. Some best practices include limited use of elevators, social distancing while using stairs.University canteens must maintain health protocols. Taking food to dormitories to eat without others’ contact can be encouraged.
Of course, the biggest issue of reopening universities is accommodation.Resident dormitories at public universities which are called halls, are densely populated and can be dangerously infectious. Hall provosts need to start Covid-19 containment programmes to ensure wearing masks, practicing safe hygiene etc. Authorities should issue new instructions regarding use of common rooms, dining, gymnasiums, and other places.
Personal guidance and control measures are essential for avoiding this pandemic. Conducting desk studies, forming general knowledge, designing best practices, and deducing the roadmap implementation, have to be developed before resuming universities. Moreover, infection prevention and control measures are required.
University authorities can also take collaborative initiative with any local hospitals for providing required services including emergency medicare. They must ensure financial support for students and employees if they get infected on the campus.
The students and employees must have knowledge about RCCE (Risk Communication and Community Engagement). It focuses on encouraging the spirit of solidarity, empowering students and officials to put a stopper on the propagation of Covid-19 through behavioural change, individual decision, and collective university action. Steadfast risk communication and community engagements are indispensable for Covid-19 prevention during the outbreak and recovery phase.
The university authorities should put emphasis on inspiring effective RCCE that may provide life-saving information, give effective feedback and develop individual capacity.
An American physician and immunologist warned that the Covid-19 might mean the world has entered an age of pandemics. So the universities must engage in Covid-19 prevention and control measures to make contingency planning for the future.
Zahaan Ripa is a student of Agricultural Economics at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka.
