Coronavirus
Information

Tēnā koutou,

We are aware that you may be anxious about the health and well-being of your young person amidst concerns about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID‑19).

We want to reassure you that the College is dedicated to actively monitoring the situation, and managing the impact for our students and staff. You can follow our website regularly for relevant information about COVID‑19.

There are multiple initiatives underway to help protect staff and students from COVID‑19.

Given the current circumstances, the College will fund the seasonal  influenza vaccinations for all QRC Lodge students this year. This vaccine will not protect against COVID‑19, but it will decrease the risk of general flu, allowing the health system to focus on COVID‑19. We are currently working through the details and we will inform students about vaccination clinics once everything has been finalised.

In responding to potential COVID‑19 challenges, the College will continue to follow guidance from the New Zealand Government. Government-enacted restrictions are in place for people arriving here from overseas.

All staff and students who have recently returned from overseas are required to self-isolate for 14 days immediately after arrival in New Zealand and the College is assisting with this where we can.

There are several key messages the College  is communicating with students and staff to help stop the spread of diseases like COVID‑19:

• Avoid close contact with people with cold or flu‑like illnesses
• Cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing
• Students and staff should stay home if they are unwell
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with water and soap and dry them thoroughly before eating or handling food, after using the toilet, after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, or wiping someone else’s, and after caring for sick people.

As the Covid-19 situation develops, the College will continue to follow the lead of the Ministry of Health and we will be ready to implement our own plans to support our community.

kind regards

Charlie Phillips
CEO

Remote teaching has now finished and students will return to learning on campus on Tuesday, 2 June 2020.

Stopping the spread of COVID‑19

Fundamental to the nationwide efforts to contain the spread of COVID‑19 is avoiding putting yourself or others at risk if you are unwell.

This is a matter of social responsibility. COVID‑19 predominantly affects the most vulnerable members of society.

This means not being on campus or out in public if you are sick. Following this advice is critical to New Zealand’s overall response.

How to protect yourself and others:

• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or by covering your mouth and nose with tissues
• Put used tissues in the bin or a bag immediately
• Wash your hands with soap and water often (for at least 20 seconds)
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are not clean
• Avoid personal contact – such as kissing, sharing cups, or sharing food – with sick people
• Clean and disinfect frequently‑touched surfaces and objects, such as doorknobs
• Stay home if you feel unwell

Coronavirus COVID‑19 symptoms

• A cough
• A high temperature (at least 38 ºC)
• Shortness of breath

Free flu vaccinations for QRC Lodge Students

Free flu vaccinations  will be available to all students living at the QRC Lodge and will start at the College in April. This will assist your general immunity.

College cleaning regime

Property Services has increased its cleaning scope to service ‘high-touch’ surfaces in alignment with the Ministry of Health website recommendations.

This is in addition to the services they already perform.

High-touch surfaces include tabletops, keyboards, doorknobs, and phones. The recommendation is to services these items with disinfectant daily.

They do this more frequently in high‑service areas.

They have also increased the frequency of cleaning and servicing to highly‑trafficked washrooms, to ensure adequate supplies of hand wash and drying facilities.

Wearing masks

For most people in the community, protective equipment (such as face masks) is not recommended.

However, for people with symptoms of an acute respiratory infection, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests there may be benefit in wearing a face mask to reduce spread to others.

It is important that face masks are worn and removed correctly. Masks should fit snugly, and fully cover your nose and mouth.

From midnight Sunday 15 March every person arriving in New Zealand from overseas has to self-isolate themselves for 14 days. People travelling from the Pacific Islands do not need to self-isolate currently. You must also enter self-isolation for 14 days if you have been in close contact with someone confirmed with COVID‑19 in the past 14 days.

We follow the Ministry of Health’s advice on self‑isolation.

If you are among this group of people, it means that you cannot come onto campus until your self-isolation is completed.

In order to support you we require that you contact our Student Services Manager, Lynsey Bullock  as soon as possible.

Email: lynsey.bullock@qrc.ac.nz 

Tel +64 3 409 0500

Staying at home

Please familiarise yourself with what self-isolation looks like.

Contact Healthline for free on 0800 358 5453 if you begin to feel unwell.

The symptoms of COVID‑19 are cough, fever, and shortness of breath.

All students have been actively engaged with online learning and are now returning to the QRC campus on Tuesday, 2 June 2020.

The academic team are looking forward to  learning on campus starting Tuesday, 2 June 2020.

Please contact the College so that we can discuss details for your particular course of study:

All students will be on campus form Tuesday, 2 June 2020.

If you have any questions please contact:

Freephone 0800 808 098 (within NZ)
Tel +64 3 409 0500
Email reception@qrc.ac.nz

Expiring visas

The College does not control the visa situation.

Immigration New Zealand may post updates.

Updates regarding Internships will be posted in due course.