Health Services Inter Office Memorandum No. 1, s. 2022

GENERAL GUIDELINES ON HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC Rationale

For the University’s continued implementation of proactive health and safety measures, restrictions must be put in place to slow down the surge in Covid-19 cases and to stop further spread of variants. Vaccination is the most effective way of continuing progress and avoiding surges in infection rates.

General Guidelines:

1. Only fully vaccinated employees, faculty, students and clients shall be allowed to entry to Southern Luzon State University.
2. Unvaccinated clients shall be required to present a negative RT-PCR test or Rapid Antigen Test for purposes of on-site work and transaction, its frequency shall be construed as determined by the employer but which should be at least once every two weeks.
3. All partially vaccinated employees who are tasked to do onsite work need not undergo regular RT-PCR test at their own expense, as long as their second dose is not yet due pursuant to the interval prescribed for the brand of vaccine received as first dose.
4. Clients are required to set an appointment prior to entry to the university/ satellite campus.
5. The use of face mask shall be mandatory.
6. The use of face shields shall be voluntary. Moreover, all issuances of the national government agencies inconsistent with the Memorandum of the Executive Secretary dated 15 November 2021, on Protocols on the Use of Face Shields, shall be considered as amended and/ or modified accordingly.
7. Students who have approved appointment from the university shall be allowed to do flexible learning, to pick-up learning materials, submit academic requirements, consult with their professor, access learning facilities for a limited time, defend their theses/ dissertations, or take final examination/s. The university shall ensure that health and safety protocols are also observed for these students especially during thesis/ dissertation defense and administration of final examination/s.
8. Guidelines on the National Implementation of Alert Level System for Covid-19 Response where the campus located shall be observed as follows:
   • ALERT LEVEL 4 – University shall remain fully operational and shall adhere to at least 40% on-site capacity while applying work-from-home (WFH) and other flexible work arrangements.
   • ALERT LEVEL 3 – University shall remain fully operational and shall adhere to at least 60% on-site capacity while applying work-from-home (WFH) and other flexible work arrangements.
   • ALERT LEVEL 2 – University shall remain fully operational and shall adhere to at least 80% on0-site capacity while applying work-form-home (WFH) and other flexible work arrangements.
   • ALERT LEVEL 1 – University shall remain fully operational and is allowed full indoor and outdoor on-site capacity.

NOTE: – This information and guidelines are subject to revision and updates as provided by the IATF, DOH and other Government Agencies.

Specific Guidelines:

1. All students, faculty, employees and clients shall:
   • Wear face masks and face shields (as applicable) at all times;
   • Check proof of vaccination/ negative RT – PCR test for the unvaccinated (Not be allowed to enter the university premises if no proof of either of the two).
   • Have their temperatures checked and recorded in the health declaration form. (Not be allowed to enter the premises if they have a temperature of 37.5 degrees and/ or above, even after a five-minute rest. This individual may temporarily be placed in the isolation room until he/ she is transported to his/ her home or health facility. The university has a mechanism on how to ensure the student, faculty, and staff be attended to as provided under DOH guidelines on persons manifesting COVID-19 symptoms).
   • Accomplish a health declaration form;
2. The main campus has an adequate number of screening stations to avoid long queues outside the school premises with the following guide:
   
   Gate 1 (Main Gate)
   • For entrance and exit of faculty, employees, janitors and laborers.
   • For the entrance and exit of all kinds of vehicles of faculty and employees
   • For entrance and exit of all authorized delivery vehicles.

   Gate 2 (RFID Gate)

   • For entrance and exit of faculty, employees, students, clients and visitors.
   • For entrance only of janitors and laborers. They shall exit at Gate 1 (Main Gate)

   Gate 3 (Service Gate)

   • For entrance and exit of vehicles of the President, Vice-President and visitors of the university.

   Gate 4 (Gymnasium Gate)

   • For entrance and exit of faculty and employees.
   • For entrance and exit of vehicles of faculty and employees.
   • For entrance and exit of clients holding authorized activities inside the campus.
   • For the entrance and exit of construction workers.
   • For the entrance and exit of deliveries for construction use.
   • For the entrance and exit student’s vehicle.
3. All shall observe strict physical distancing of 1.5 meters at all times. The university shall utilize visual cues, floor markers and protective barriers for this purpose.
4. The university shall provide an adequate number of handwashing or hand sanitizing stations at the entrance gates. Students, faculty, and staff shall be required to wash or sanitize their hands before or immediately after entry.
5. Contingency plans and coordination with LGU for alignment of surveillance and referral protocols (i.e., contact tracing, laboratory surveillance, COVID-19 testing, quarantine, isolation or treatment) shall be established and maintained by the SLSU Crisis Management Committee (Please refer to flowchart as part of contingency measures).

References:

IATF RESOLUTION NO. 149 Series of 2021 dated November 18, 2021
IATF RESOLUTION NO. 148-B Series of 2021 November 11, 2021
CHED and DOH Joint Circular No. 2021-001
CHED and DOH Joint Circular No. 2021-004

These guidelines shall take effect on January 2022.