With an increase in the reported number of COVID-19 cases in the country, it is important that you take responsibility for your own health and well-being. There is currently an increase in the number of positive cases, especially among students in residences, who attend off-campus events where the necessary protocols are not applied.

Students are encouraged to exercise extreme caution in social contexts off campus, where the applicable protocols in place may be less rigorous or less rigorously enforced than those applied by the University. Students and staff should stay away from crowded and poorly ventilated areas.

Practising the basic prevention protocol of wearing masks, adhering to social distancing and washing your hands are the most effective ways to guard against the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Students and staff who have been vaccinated should continue to comply with all the COVID-19 protocols as they can still contract and/or spread the virus. 

If you don’t feel well and experience even the slightest symptoms, please contact your medical practitioner immediately and do not go to places where you may infect other people. The health and well-being of our students and staff must be everyone’s priority.

Please contact the UP student counselling services at [email protected] if you require emotional support, or the Higher Health 24-hour student and staff helpline, which can be accessed as follows:

• Toll-free call: 0800 36 36 36

• SMS: 43336

For more information on the COVID-19 protocols and what to do in case of possible infection, please click here.

Prof Caroline Nicholson, Registrar

Insurance while outside the Republic of South Africa

The following is applicable to members of UP’s Retirement Funds and Group Life Assurance Scheme:

To ensure that the relevant insurance coverage (retirement fund and group life assurance) is fully in place, all employees travelling outside the borders of RSA, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland/Eswatini and Mozambique for longer than three months are required to complete a declaration prior to travelling.

A declaration in this regard is added on the PeopleSoft, Employee Self Service page. Please sign into the HR Self-service function, select the Declarations tile and navigate to Other Fluid Declarations.

The University accordingly has the responsibility to inform the relevant insurers to ensure that cover is maintained.

This is not applicable to staff members who are not members of the UP Retirement Funds and Group Life Assurance Scheme, such as temporary staff members.

Sithembile Mbuyisa, Director of Human Resources

Book a tour with UP Campus Tours to keep you warm:

https://www.up.ac.za/news/post_2980216-book-a-tour-with-up-campus-tours-to-keep-you-warm-as-we-enter-autumn.