COVID-19 information
Last update 8 June 2022
Flinders University continues to closely monitor the national COVID-19 trajectory to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our community.
Wherever you are, it’s important to maintain safe physical distances, practice thorough hygiene, and if unwell stay at home, arrange to have a COVID test and self-isolate until you receive a negative result.
If you test positive to COVID-19 you must isolate as per SA Health requirements - COVID-19 | SA Health. We understand that continuing your studies while in isolation is important. Please contact your course coordinator as soon as possible and they can assist you to continue your studies from home or advise on the best course of action if you are too unwell to study. If you’re not sure who to contact in your course, you can search for your course.
If you have tested positive to COVID-19 and have been on any of Flinders University campuses or facilities during your infectious period, it is important to let your course coordinator know as soon as possible to allow appropriate actions to be taken such as providing advice to your peers and others.
Students who have been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case should speak to their course coordinator, and where possible use online alternatives to reduce contact with others.
However, if close contacts need to attend our campuses, they can continue to do so provided they have no symptoms, a mask is worn, regular RATs are conducted, and the University is notified.
To ease the reporting process for close contacts an online form is available here. Simply fill out the declaration and submit.
Should you go on to test positive, please stay home and advise your course coordinator if you have been on campus in the proceeding 48 hours to testing positive.
Change to quarantine
For seven (7) days following exposure, close contacts must:
- Undertake five (5) rapid antigen tests during the seven-day period
- Wear masks when leaving the house
- Not enter high-risk (now referred to as sensitive) settings
- Notify employers and educational facilities of their close contact status
- Not attend non-essential gatherings
If you subsequently develop symptoms and test positive you must then isolate as per SA Health requirements.
From Monday 28 February, a Student Vaccination Policy was implemented at Flinders University. The full Student Vaccination Policy is available to view in the Policy Library.
If you have any questions, visit our FAQs or head to Ask Flinders.
Current students who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 are required to make a declaration that they have read, understood, and will follow the in-person learning conduct rules, which is available in student’s FLO (Flinders Learning Online) topic sites. Some students will need to provide proof of a valid vaccination certificate if they are attending classes, placements or learning activities in locations with vaccination requirements.
Current students who are not vaccinated will need to make a declaration that they will have regular COVID-19 tests to attend campus. These students will be required to have a Rapid Antigen Test within three days prior to each attendance on campus and only attend campus if they have a negative result. This means a person with a negative RAT result on a Monday can attend campus up to and including Thursday. Further tests are required for subsequent attendance. Our blend of in-person and online learning options should provide most students with flexibility around attendance.
Commencing students enrolling in courses where external bodies impose strict vaccination mandates (eg for courses in medicine, nursing, education, etc) will be required to provide evidence of vaccination to enrol into their program of study at Flinders.
When on campus please maintain physical distancing of at least 1.5m, regularly and thoroughly sanitise your hands and things you touch, and do not come to campus if you become unwell or develop symptoms of COVID-19.
As of the commencement of Semester 2 2022, Flinders is opting to return to pre-COVID-19 room capacity guidelines. Wherever possible, learning activities will continue to be offered with online options to accommodate those students who are unable to attend in person.
Note that some University teaching, learning and research activities will remain under SA Health guidelines pertaining to health care, aged care, or other high-risk environments.
Events and activities can once again be held on campus and we encourage those planning events to exercise best judgement and consider holding events outdoors or in large spaces with good ventilation.
Face masks and hand sanitiser will continue to be available where needed.
The SA government has eased the general requirement around the wearing of masks. People can now attend campuses mask-free although Flinders University acknowledges the protective benefits of masks and supports those who choose to wear them. It should be noted mask requirements remain in place for areas such as health, aged care and disability care settings.
Face masks are a physical barrier to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
In some high risk setting such as health care, aged and disability care, public transport, airports and planes mask wearing is mandatory.
In other settings, SA Health strongly recommends wearing masks most of the time while indoors.
Irrespective of mask type, wearing a mask means you are not designated a ‘close contact’ and do not need to isolate.
Wearing face masks mitigates ‘close contact’ risk for the entire University community.
Most state based travel restrictions have now eased, but risks remain. The likelihood of COVID related travel delays or cancellations remain high, and this may result in additional costs. Travel decisions and approvals can now be made locally, in accordance with the University’s travel policy,
HDR students: please discuss interstate travel plans with your Principal Supervisor. There are additional requirements for HDR student international travel.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
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