COVID-19 (coronavirus) advice for the UQ community - STAFF - Return to campus

Actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses include:

• Frequently cleaning hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
• Avoid sharing objects like phones, keyboards and pens, and clean these objects often.
• Do not touch your face
• When coughing and sneezing, cover the mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or a tissue – throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands
• Avoid close contact with anyone who is unwell, especially a fever or cough
• If you have a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, seek medical care early. Call ahead and share any previous travel history with your health care provider
• Practice physical distancing
• Stay home if you’re feeling unwell
• Wear a face mask when you are not able to keep 1.5 metres away from other people or whenever mandatory face masks are required, as per current directions from Queensland Government.
• Get vaccinated – find out about the vaccine, your eligibility and how to book your COVID-19 vaccination.

We’ve prepared a factsheet on ways to help limit the spread of the virus. Read the UQ Safety Note - Hints to protect yourself from transmission (PDF, 523.7 KB). 

See QLD GOVT – How to protect yourself and others.

The regular contract cleaning of approximately 40,000 spaces around campuses is continuing with a focus on all hard surfaces and touch points using paper towels and sanitiser.

Separate teams work in higher-traffic buildings and areas from 9am-5pm sanitising hard surfaces and touch points (e.g. handles, rail, bins, switches, bathrooms, water bubblers, equipment). 

Staff and students can also help by cleaning their work areas. Work practices such as using normal household cleaner to clean commonly touched surfaces such as benches, lab equipment, desks, phones, remote controls, printers, fax machines, computer mice and keyboards (several times per day) help reduce the threat of disease transmission. Cleaning products can be purchased via UQ eMarket. The latest advice is there is no requirement to do 'deep cleans' with disinfectants.

Wash your hands thoroughly before and after cleaning. Hand washing should include the use of regular soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds. If soap is not immediately available, use hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol content or greater. Remember – DO NOT touch your face when cleaning. Avoid touching your face, hair, and neck as much as you can always.

Managers and Heads of organisational units are responsible for: 

• Ensuring a COVID-19 Local Management Plan (DOCX, 117.8 KB) is completed locally and any outstanding items are actioned as soon as reasonably practicable. 
• Enabling people to take personal responsibility for their own health and safety e.g. mask wearing if people want to.
• Working with vulnerable people to develop a plan to reduce exposure.
• Ensuring staff in local area are maintaining physical distancing, wearing masks when required, practicing good hygiene practices, and staying home if unwell. 

Physical distancing and good hygiene practices are key controls for stopping the spread of COVID-19.

To minimise the risk of the spread of infection through this practice you should implement measures such as:

• Ensure workspaces (desks, chairs, shelves etc.) are cleaned either at the end of the day where only one person has used the workspace, or after each use by a person where multiple people are using the workspace throughout the day.
• Where possible, you should have your own equipment such as keyboards and mice, so they are not shared between people. If sharing equipment is unavoidable, ensure that you have ready access to appropriate cleaning supplies to enable equipment to be thoroughly wiped down or cleaned after use by a person.

If you consider yourself or someone close to you as in a vulnerable group (as defined by Queensland Health), you are encouraged to make contact with your supervisors. 

It is essential that you take the advice of your medical practitioner when looking at reasonably practicable working arrangements. Your local HR and HSW contacts can assist. The COVID website also has the following information – e.g. Local Management Planning Templates (in the Resources section).

• Discuss situation with your manager and contact your HR Advisor to have personal plan developed.
• If possible, get your COVID-19 booster dose as soon as you are eligible.
• Stay home if you’re feeling unwell or awaiting test results for COVID-19. If you have a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, seek medical care early.
• Stay home until all your symptoms have resolved.
• Practice physical distancing from others and wear a face mask where this is not possible.
• Frequently cleaning hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• Avoid sharing objects like phones, keyboards and pens, and clean these objects often.
• Avoid close contact with anyone who is unwell, especially a fever or cough.

If you need further advice for managing working requests for vulnerable workers in your team or if you are a vulnerable worker and need advice you can contact the AskHR on +61 7 3365 2623 or email askhr@uq.edu.au.

The following is a summary of key recommendations: 

• Maintain physical distancing as per current directions from Queensland Government.
• Ensure you check in using the QLD COVID Check-in App when required.
• Avoid physical contact – no handshaking. 
• Keep meetings as short as possible. 
• Avoid sharing equipment including pens, keyboards, mice, etc. 
• Remember it is essential to practise impeccable hand and respiratory hygiene – avoid touching your face. 
• Keep a record of attendance.
• And remember, you should not be at work if you feel ill. 
• Wear a face mask when unable to maintain physical distancing.

No. You must not attend campus or visit any UQ facility while waiting for COVID-19 test results.  You are required to self-isolate at home while you wait for test results which may take from one to several days.