Hyderabad, Feb 3 : Three students of the University of Hyderabad have tested positive for Covid-19 during the last five days and varsity authorities have asked all those who came in contact with them to get tested.
Three M.Sc. students in the School of Life Sciences have tested positive. They are among the post-graduate students in their final semester that the Task Force had permitted to return to the campus in phases so that they complete the laboratory/practical work before they graduate in June.
“The heads of department and the Dean of the School concerned have responded quickly to work with University authorities to have the affected students shifted to either quarantine on campus or to a hospital, sanitised the work spaces, and have advised other students who came into contact with them to follow safety measures and get tested if they are symptomatic or if they choose to rule out infection,” the university said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Task Force so far permitted over 700 research scholars and Masters’ students to return to the campus to resume essential academic work and it is currently preparing a road map for further normalisation over the next couple of months. The Task Force insisted on returning students presenting a Covid negative report and staying in isolation at the designated facility on campus for 7 days before they commence their academic work.
It has urged the students to strictly abide by Covid appropriate behaviour including maintaining physical distancing in laboratories and practice spaces, wearing of facial masks, and frequent handwashing.
It said several instances of violations of Covid appropriate behaviour by the students have come to its notice, including mixing in close proximity with other students without facial masks and leaving the isolation facility for departments before the mandatory 7-day period ends. “This is not acceptable. The threat of the virus and its variants still hangs over us and it will be a while before vaccination reaches younger people,” Task Force said, adding that safety precautions are the only effective prevention.
“If there is any escalation in cases on our campus, the University would be compelled to return to a more strict policy regarding in-person classes. Needless to say, this will also slow down the approach of the Task Force in recommending a gradual, staggered return to the campus by all students,” it added.
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