Melbourne

COVID-19 updates and resources for Melbourne students

We understand that these ongoing changes are difficult to manage, however, the College will continue to align with all National and State Government directives in order to support the health and safety of the community. As we continue to adapt and plan together, we ask that all communication/interaction with staff remains respectful and in line with the Student Code of Conduct.

Endeavour College of Natural Health resources

• COVID-19 resources homepage
• Latest updates for students

Thank you for your adaptability and resilience during this time!

Victoria will enter a 5-day lockdown

Effective from 11.59 pm on Friday 12 February until 11.59pm Wednesday 17 February, Victoria will enter a 5-day lockdown, based on the latest Victoria State Government health advice. As such, all universities and schools are required to close.

As a result of this latest update, the following will be implemented:

• The Melbourne Campus will close for a period of 5 days as of 11.59 pm on Friday 12 February until 11.59pm Wednesday 17 February*
• No students are permitted on campus during this time and no classes will be held on campus, all access will be locked, and the library will be closed
• College staff will be working from home and will continue to support students during this time
• All practical exams will be rescheduled based on the reopening of the campus*
• Make up clinics will be rescheduled based on the reopening of the campus*
• No changes to exams or quizzes that are running via Respondus exam proctoring
• No changes to classes that are running fully online or via live stream
• Refer to all campus and subject updates via the LMS > subject code > communications updates

*Reopening of the Melbourne campus is subject to State Government directive.

We acknowledge that this will be disappointing for many students as this will impact Summer School on-campus and the Clinic, however, Endeavour College will continue to prioritise the health and safety of the community and follow all State Government advice. We will continue to provide you with updates as soon as they become available.

Based on the Victorian state government directive and latest updates, we are now easing out of restrictions and adapting our COVID-19 safe plan accordingly. As a College, we continue to monitor the situation closely and will adapt the re-opening plans to align with current state guidelines (subject to change based on state government directive).

In order to support practical completion classes and to prepare for on-campus classes resuming in 2021, we ask that you continue to remain diligent when it comes to health and safety protocols.

Practical completion classes: COVID-19 on-campus and clinic protocols

The health and safety and a COVID-19 free campus remains our top priority and to support this, the current procedures (including adhering to physical distancing) remains in place:

• Face masks will now only be mandatory on-campus when maximum capacity/physical distancing cannot be maintained.
• Physical distancing (1.5 metres) will continue to be mandated across the campus with maximum capacity restrictions applicable in the clinic environment only
• Electronic check-in will be implemented for all visitors or students who are utilising campus facilities (further details to follow)
• Disinfecting protocols for all high-touch areas
• Regular daily cleaning carried out on-campus
• Continuation of COVID-19 library process with 72-hour quarantine for all loan books
• Use of Perspex Guards and floor distancing stickers
• Practising good hand hygiene and utilising provided hand sanitiser regularly
• Students and clients must not attend campus if presenting with cold or flu-like symptoms
• Lecturers and Clinic Supervisors to continue to ask the ‘start of session’ questions for every session to decrease the chances of students remaining on campus when presenting with cold or flu-like symptoms
• Clients will continue to be monitored by current COIVID-19 greeting process (such as temperature checks)

General measures

The following general measures will apply to support physical distancing, best practices in health and safety and support teaching and learning continuity on campus.

• Students who are sick with cold and flu symptoms must NOT attend College
• Students who are in vulnerable populations or have health concerns are to continue to study from home or seek medical advice from the health practitioner to support informed risk assessment and decision making regarding the suitability of returning to the College environment
• Campus supplied face masks will be mandatory for students whilst on campus, you can find an instructional video on the proper use of face masks here and on the website
• All student consultations will continue to be conducted online; Consultations can be booked via the LMS > Learning Resources > Consultations tab
• Online access to content (including library materials) will continue online along with the Colleges teaching delivery plan for Semester 2
• All shared spaces such as libraries, clinic and hallways/kitchens must have no more than one person for every four-square metres of floor space (this has been measured throughout the campus)
• All students, staff and visitors must adhere to the physical distance guidelines, these have been put in place throughout the College and includes 1.5 metres distancing on all service counters, the addition of Perspex guards in customer facing areas (such as student services, the library and clinics)
• All high touch-point common areas (kitchen, fridge, microwave) will be limited, you will need to plan accordingly
• Operational hours will be reduced and service teams will remain online for support. You can call the service teams on 1300 462 887 or by submitting a ticket via the Student Portal Assistance & Feedback form
• All campuses and clinics will have access to temperature scanners for use if a student presents with flu like symptoms (if you present with flu like symptoms you will be asked to leave the campus and can return once you have no presenting symptoms and are feeling better)
• Additional cleaning and sanitising protocols are in place across all campuses, including the use of recommended cleaning products increased cleaning schedules across common areas in bathrooms and high touchpoint areas;
• Additional checklists are in place for cleaning and disinfecting after usage of shared resources, such as photocopiers, meeting rooms, library resources, desk spaces etc.
• Clear signage will be provided on each campus to support physical distancing and appropriate disinfecting and cleaning protocols for high touchpoint areas, all students are expected to comply with this signage
• Appropriate hand hygiene products will be in place in each public or counter area

Practical classes

Please see below for an overview of the best practice health and safety measures to be implemented for practical and clinic completion classes, an update on the library and answers to FAQs which will be released on the COVID-19 return to campus page.

• Physical distance and controls are in place in practical classrooms and specialist teaching spaces this includes managing of access to equipment and workspaces, checklist protocols for cleaning and disinfecting spaces after each usage;
• In practical classes, classroom caps are made based on physical distancing rules and you may find yourself across multiple classrooms as you return into the practical completion classes;
• Each specialist learning space including practical classes, will be provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face masks, gloves, hand sanitiser, disinfectant
• Needling will continue as normal with the adjustments to reduce infection risk such is the reduction of face needling, the usage of appropriate PPE including masks and gloves
• The academic team are making necessary adjustments to content and assessment criteria to maintain physical distancing as a priority
• As you start practical and on-campus classes, the academic teams will brief you on the new health and safety measures to adhere to at the beginning of the class
• All new campus health and safety protocols must be adhered to at all times to support a COVID-19 free campus
• Cleaning and disinfecting protocols and checklists have been developed for communal equipment and areas and all signage is to be complied with
• Students who are sick with cold and flu symptoms must NOT attend college and can connect with their lecturer directly to discuss class options

Clinic classes

• Physical distancing and controls are in place in clinical classrooms, laboratories, dispensaries and specialist teaching spaces this includes managing of access to equipment and workspaces, checklist protocols for cleaning and disinfecting spaces after use
• Student, staff and client caps are in place in clinics, based on the number of people per room so physical distancing is maintained and adhered to. This will include staggered clinical consultation times, clients in the waiting rooms and treatments rooms. You may find yourself spread across multiple clinics and breakout rooms as you return to clinical completion classes
• Each specialist learning space including the Wellness Clinics and dispensaries will be provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face masks, gloves, hand sanitiser, disinfectant
• Needling will continue as normal with the adjustments to reduce infection risk such is the reduction of face needling, the usage of appropriate PPE including masks and gloves
• The academic team are making necessary adjustments to content and assessment criteria to maintain physical distancing as a priority
• As you start the clinical and pre-clinical classes, the academic teams will brief you on the new health and safety measures to adhere to
• All new safe campus and health and safety protocols must be adhered to at all times to support a COVID-19 free campus
• Cleaning and disinfecting protocols and checklists have been developed for communal equipment and areas and all signage is to be complied with
• Students who are sick with cold and flu symptoms must NOT attend the college and can connect with their lecturer directly to discuss options
• Protocols have been put in place for screening of clinic clients with an online questionnaire prior to booking a treatment
• Clients who are sick with cold and flu symptoms must NOT attend clinic, and will be asked to leave the clinic and rebook their appointment when they are feeling better
• All clinics will have access to temperature scanners for usage should a student, staff member or client present with flu like symptoms, the person may be asked to leave the campus and return once they are feeling better
• All the best practices for health and safety will be put in place and strictly adhered to

In the case of a student, staff member, clinic client or visitor having a confirmed case of COVID-19, it will be reported to the government in the first instance and the College will take directive regarding campus closure to complete a deep cleaning. In this case, all students will be informed of this and the expected return date based on the relevant government and health authority approval.

Read more on the use of medical face masks on the World Health Organization (WHO) website.