Divine Word University (DWU) in Madang province has revealed that more than 20 of their students and staff have tested positive to COVID-19.
University President Fr. Philipp Gibbs said most of these students are from outside provinces studying under the University’s Flexible Learning programme.
“There are few regular students and some staff but most of them are Flexible Learning students who are coming from other provinces for two weeks and then they go back.”
Fr Gibbs says the challenge they are faced with it is with students who are travelling in from other provinces who are not getting tested for COVID-19 and getting clearance before travel.
He said they have instructed students to do testing and get clearance before travelling, however they are also having difficulties accessing facilities that provide testing in their own provinces.
“Majority of the students are saying that they can’t get tested in their provinces because they don’t have a facility in the provinces they are coming from.”
Fr Gibbs said the travelling students have asked the University for a designated area where they can get tested before going into campus given the situation in their home provinces.
“We have a system on campus where we check students with COVID-19 symptoms and we ask them to go into quarantine.”
He added that right now the checks are done based on Symptoms only at the campus however it would be more helpful if Rapid Testing was also done at the campus.
“What I’m hoping is that we can get the Rapid Test so that those students who are not able to test in the provinces can still do the test here which won’t take long.”
“If they test positive then, we can put them into isolation facility at the University.”
Fr Gibbs said it has been difficult dealing with people travelling in from other provinces but they were able to do testing with some of them and they tested positive to COVID-19.
He said those students in isolation can still access internet and still attend classes via zoom.
Meanwhile the University has made some changes with regards to how students should attend classes while adhering to social distancing and other COVID-19 safety protocols.
“We have made some changes so we can have more social distancing.”
“The classes have been divided into two so we you only got half the number in class and the other half comes later.”
Fr Gibbs stressed again that it is mandatory that all students must wear mask at all times.
He said classes are still continuing with most of the classes going online and the staff are also conducting meetings via zoom to avoid contact.
At this time, it is understood that the Madang Provincial Hospital is the only facility conducting COVID-19 testing in the province while the Divine Word University is starting off slowly with Rapid Testing for students only at the campus.
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