If you’re confused about the University of South Australia’s recent short-lived increase of COVID measures, we hear you. OTR has secured the low-down on the “damned if you do and damned if you don’t” situation from Vice Chancellor and President, Professor David Lloyd. (Image: Philippa Steinberg for the Innovative Genomics Institute)
By Sarah Herrmann | @sarahherrmann_
On Monday, August 1, thousands of inboxes received the news that UniSA was once again cracking down on COVID.
UniSA Vice Chancellor & President, Professor David Lloyd, announced that the university would be mandating masks indoors and moving classes online wherever possible, at the advice of Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier.
Professor Lloyd said this would be implemented in addition to existing measures at UniSA “until such time as SA case numbers significantly subside”.
Just seven days later on Monday, August 8, mask-wearing was reverted to being strongly recommended, and classes would transition back to being in-person, as per a second email from the VC.
The peak in cases expected for the state “was just not as big as they feared, which is great for everybody”, Professor Lloyd told On The Record.
“You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t, but it’s better to be cautious than incautious,” he said.
“All along when we’ve been handed health advice and health recommendations … we take them.”
But while mask-wearing was widespread during the week, the move to online learning wasn’t exactly streamlined.
The VC said this was due to local areas “being pragmatic” in their decision-making to “minimise disruption”.
“It was an immediate move, and we did the best we could under the circumstances,” he said.
“Had the wave continued on the upper trajectory, then certainly we would’ve seen everybody online, but thankfully it was on the way down the whole time.”
Professor Lloyd said he received equal support and criticism for the increased measures, and acknowledged online classes as “a massive impasse” for both staff and students.
“I had great sympathy with students who said they don’t want to be online, because to me the measure was a very, very significant prevention.
“I think the masking was appropriate; I think going online, given the nature of the waves that we had, with hindsight, we didn’t need to do it.”
In the hope that the university will not have to implement such changes again, Professor Lloyd reminds the UniSA community: “Get your vaccination – it’s the best thing for your protection of yourself – and then wear your mask to protect others.”
Students should monitor their university emails and learnonline for the latest announcements and course-specific information.
Lectures and examinations will remain online, as they have since the beginning of the pandemic, until December 2023.
ontherecordunisa.com 