3 September 2021
Flinders University continues to closely monitor COVID-19 outbreaks nationally to support our staff in SA, the NT and elsewhere. This page will be regularly updated to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our community.
Lockdowns or restrictions are in place across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, WA, Tasmania and the ACT , as well as South Australia and the Northern Territory, at varying levels and for varying periods - please check local health department advice.
Latest information about COVID-19 for South Australia can be found on the SA Health website.
If you’re at one of our Northern Territory locations, please check advice from NT Health.
Wherever you are, it’s important to maintain safe social distance, practice thorough hygiene, and if unwell stay at home, arrange to have a COVID test and self-isolate until you receive a negative result.
NORTHERN TERRITORY RESTRICTIONS
The lockdown in the Greater Darwin and Katherine areas has now ended. There are some restrictions in place for these areas. Please visit the NT Health website for further information about these restrictions.
For the latest information please visit NT health.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA RESTRICTIONS
South Australia is currently under Level 1 restrictions, with some additional requirements.
Safety advice
- SA Health advises masks are mandatory in the following settings:
- high risk settings
- Disability/aged care facilities
- Prison or correctional facilities
- Aboriginal community-controlled health services
- health care services
- passenger transport services
- public indoor places where face to face interactions occur
- SA Health strongly recommends wearing masks while on South Australian university campuses including in office spaces.
- Please remember that some people may be unable to wear masks due to a medical condition or disability. By wearing a mask, you are helping create a safer environment for those who cannot.
- Visit the SA Government website for a full list of the reasons why a person may not be required to wear a mask.
- Density limits are to stay set at 1 person per 2 square metres and people are encouraged to maintain physical distance of 1.5 metres from others.
- If physical distancing cannot be observed, face masks are strongly encouraged.
Travel
Interstate travel for staff and students should not be undertaken unless for exceptional circumstances due to the high uncertainty and constant changing of border restrictions in response to COVID-19 outbreaks.
This recommendation to not travel interstate applies to all fieldwork, WIL placements and other work-related reasons such as meetings and conferences.
If travel interstate is deemed necessary, the following conditions must be met:
- Approval is required from the VPED/ Portfolio Head
- The travel must not breach any Government travel restrictions – such as to a declared exposure site, or require entry/ exit via a restricted State or Territory border crossing.
- The traveller must acknowledge they will be responsible for all costs associated with any required quarantine or self-isolation.
- The traveller must demonstrate they can manage government requirements around social distancing, hygiene and infection control for the travel, the accommodation and the activity.
Teaching and learning
- Workshops, seminars and tutorials can be conducted in person where spacing allows.
- Lectures will remain online.
- Field trips, excursions, events and group activities can resume with appropriate restrictions in place, as per travel advice above. Due to the changing nature of the pandemic, events and field trips may be cancelled with minimal notice. Please continue to have contingency plans in place.
- Events
- Events can take place in person where they cannot be held online.
- Physical events will still need to be conducted in line with SA Health requirements including:
- Applicable density requirements are met and best endeavours to maintain 1.5 m physical distancing between individuals.
- Seated activities: 3 people per 4 square metres
- Standing activities: 1 person per 2 square metres
- Blend of seated and standing: 1 person per 2 square metres
- Masks are to be worn in all indoor public areas
- Good hygiene practices and restrictions around communal consumption of food and drink must be adhered to.
- Field Trips
- The easing of restrictions also means field trips within the state can resume from 5 August for groups of up to 10 people. COVID-19 restrictions including density requirements, hygiene and use of masks must be adhered to for transport, accommodation and field trip activities.
Campus cleaning
- Teaching spaces will be cleaned daily across all campuses, including Bedford Park, Sturt, Flinders Medical Centre, Tonsley and Victoria Square.
- High traffic areas, College fronts and service points will be cleaned twice a day.
- Loop buses are thoroughly cleaned each day, with hand sanitiser and wipes available for use on the buses.
- General office spaces and toilets will continue to be cleaned as normal.
General advice
- Flinders University Sport & Fitness, Oasis and on-campus health services are open with appropriate restrictions in place.
- People are reminded to use QR codes on sites where they need to be used.
- Anyone eligible to be vaccinated is strongly urged to do so.
- Please try to observe physical distancing, practice thorough hand hygiene, and if feeling unwell get COVID tested and isolate immediately.