With only two days left before students leave campus following government’s decision to close down learning institutions in the country, the University of Zambia (UNZA) has circulated strict preventive measures to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).
UNZA Registrar Sitali Wamundila announced 16 preventive measures in an internal memorandum dated March 16, 2020 and appealed to all staff, students and members of the public visiting the university premises to religiously follow them.
Mr. Wamundila underscored the need for staff, students and members of the public visiting UNZA premises to wash their hands thoroughly and frequently with water and soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, avoid handshakes and touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
He said other measures include avoiding large social gatherings, travelling when not feeling well, spitting in public and unprotected contact with live wild and domesticated animals.
He further said there should be an avoidance of close contact with people showing symptoms of COVID-19, non-essential travel to areas where there is transmission of the diseases and avoiding eating meat from animals that have died of a disease.
Mr. Wamundila said individuals should cover their mouth and nose with flexed elbows or tissue when coughing or sneezing and should exercise self-isolation if they have a flu or colds.
Report any individual suspected to have COVID-19 to UNZA clinic or health officials. Health care workers must practice standard infection prevention measures.
He emphasized
The UNZA Registrar has since warned that it was an offence for anyone to fail to comply with stipulated preventive measures and regulations adding that such individuals shall be liable, upon conviction, to penalties specified in the guidelines.
In this regard, you are all requested to exercise maximum compliance to the above stated preventive measures. Remember, prevention is better than cure.
He said
These preventive measures are highlighted in two Statutory Instruments (i) designate COVID-19 as a notifiable disease and (ii) provide additional regulations to facilitate management and control of COVID-19 signed by the Ministry of Health under the Public Health Act Cap 295 of the Laws of Zambia.
Yesterday, Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya announced that all universities, colleges and schools will close by Friday, March 20, 2020 as a way of scaling up measures to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 in Zambia.