KNUST Safety Measures to Curb the Spread of Covid-19

Goal: To Control COVID-19 on all KNUST campuses as part of national control measures for the disease.

Objective: 

To ensure early case detection of all suspected cases and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection on all KNUST Campuses as well manage the ripples towards a national control effort.

Safety Tips:

  1. Avoid FEAR, PANIC and STIGMATIZATION in the cases of;
  • Suspected person(s)
  • Actual cases, being nursed &
  • Recovered patient(s).
  1. Each individual has the full and sole RESPONSIBILITY to ensure ADHERENCE to ALL safety Protocols.

Safety Measures – Checklist:

  • Face masks
  • Sanitizers (Alcohol)
  • Soap and Running Water/Veronica Buckets
  • Tissue Papers and Bins
  • Holding Room (with chairs and well ventilated)
  • Thermometer guns
  • Posters (No Mask No Entry, Protocols, Emergency Numbers)
  • Regular disinfection of surfaces, rooms and washrooms
  • Avoid crowding and maintain safe distancing (at least 1 meter)

Safety Measures – Protocols:

  • Proper wearing of nose masks (meaning to cover both nose and mouth), at least.
  • Social distancing of at least 1-Meter
  • Regular use of hand sanitizers and hand washing with soap under running water.
  • Regular disinfection/fumigation of surfaces and rooms (particularly washrooms) with alcohol/hypochlorite solution.
  • Active screening with thermometer guns to pick up persons with high Temperatures 
  • Provision of Hand washing facilities and sanitizers at gatherings.
  • Ideally, each person should have 2-3 personal reusable nose masks and 125-250ml refillable hand sanitizer. 

Places of Residence:

  • Place of residence of every student must be known for the purpose of health surveillance and contact tracing. It is the responsibility of each student to disclose their places of residence.
  • Halls of Residence must display appropriately, public health educational materials and the Emergency Numbers provided.
  • Entrance and Exits must be regulated in a way that allows entry and exits without students and staff mingling.
  • Veronica buckets, tissue papers and sanitizers must be placed at strategic points.
  • Screening for high temperature with a thermometer gun MUST be done.
  • In the event of an abnormality, a patient must be isolated in a Holding room and the hospital contacted by calling the emergency lines.
  • Frequent (daily) disinfection of surfaces and places of frequent use. Washrooms/Bathhouses – Constantly.
  • Fumigation of rooms – At least all rooms should be fumigated just before re-opening.  

Classrooms, Libraries and Examination Centres:

  • Centres for teaching and learning should as much as possible be few to ensure that safety measures are adhered to.
  • Students know, beforehand, classrooms for all lectures and examinations.
  • Public health educational materials and the Emergency Numbers provided must be appropriately displayed.
  • Entrances to buildings/classrooms/halls must be regulated, with provision of Veronica Buckets, Tissues Papers, Sanitizers (preferably the liquid formulation and automatically dispensed). 
  • It is recommended to screen all people entering the building for a high temperature with a thermometer gun. In the event of an abnormality, infected persons must be isolated in a comfortable well-ventilated room and the Hospital contacted by calling the emergency lines.
  • Colleges must have places designated for Holding whilst awaiting Hospital personnel.
  • Colleges will have to stock up on; thermometer guns, Veronica Buckets, Sanitizers, Nose masks and Disinfectants.
  • Within the lecture room and library, floor markings may have to be done to ensure proper safe distancing
  • There must be a notice informing students not to re-arrange tables and chairs.
  • As part of the public health education on COVID–19, lectures can be interspersed with a standardized educational message on the COVID protocols.
  • Entry points to classrooms must have, boldly displayed, “NO MASK, NO ENTRY!” and this must be enforced by an attendant present. Congregation of students, idling in non-essential areas must be discouraged. 
  • Regular fumigation (weekly on weekends) of places of use is highly recommended.
  • Frequent (daily or twice daily) cleaning/spraying of surfaces with alcohol or hypochlorite solution especially in between classes is also recommended.  
  • As much as possible entry to and exit to classrooms to avoid mixing and consequential increase in contacts.

Eating, Social and Recreational Areas:

  • All such areas should be regulated to ensure strict adherence to safety measures.
  • Eating places must obtain clearance to operate having complied with all the requirements needed for a safe operation.
  • All such areas must have someone designated and specifically tasked to ensure adherence

Click here for your Covid-19 Risk Assessment!

Contact:

KNUST focal person for COVID-19 is the Director of University Health Services 

Emergency Response and Contact Numbers (University Hospital); 050 644 8831 / 050 644 8826