COVID-19 updates
Conditional Movement Control Order
The Malaysian Government has announced that most parts of the country, including Selangor, Federal Territories and Johor, will be under a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from 5-18 March 2021. From Monday, 8 March 2021, we will be permitting a limited number of our academic and professional staff, as well as some research students, access to our Main Campus and our Clinical School in Johor Bahru for essential functions.
We are committed to operating Monash University Malaysia in a way that ensures the continuity of education while ensuring the health and safety of our community, in accordance with the requirements set down by the Malaysian Government.
Here’s what it means for you
Staff
- Access to campus will be from 7.30 am to 6 pm daily. Please do not attempt to access the campuses outside of the normal operating hours.
- You are still strongly encouraged to work from home and only come to the campus if required.
- Please continue with teaching and learning activities online.
- No more than 30% of staff and research students (any mix of academic staff, professional staff and PhD students and Honours students) are permitted on campus per day.
- Heads of Schools and Units have been asked to manage the access within their respective areas by maintaining the necessary rosters and issuing campus access letters to staff approved for campus access.
- The use of the MySejahtera application is now mandatory for all on-campus facilities and Schools must ensure that staff and students accessing these facilities scan the relevant MySejahtera QR code prior to entering/using the relevant facility.
- If you do not have the access letter, you will be denied entry into the campus.
- Speak to your Heads of School/Unit if you need to access the campus or if you require a letter to facilitate inter-state travel.
Students
- You must not come to campus. If you try to come to campus you will be denied entry.
- Please continue with your classes and activities online. There will strictly be no on-campus teaching and learning activities until further notice.
- We have set up an interactive virtual student hub that is dedicated to providing you with the right contacts and support from 9 am - 5 pm on weekdays (except public holidays).
- For emergency support after hours, please call +6019 272 5859.
Research Students
- Access to campus will be from 7.30 am to 6 pm daily. The Working After Hours Procedure will apply to essential research activities at the laboratories beyond these hours.
- Only pre-approved research students are allowed to be on campus.
- Speak to your Heads of School/Unit if you need to access the campus or if you require a letter to facilitate inter-state travel.
- If you do not have the access letter, you will be denied entry into the campus.
- The use of the MySejahtera application is now mandatory for all on-campus facilities and Schools must ensure that staff and students accessing these facilities scan the relevant MySejahtera QR code prior to entering/using the relevant facility.
- Visit research general principles for relevant information.
General Advice
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The Malaysian Government has announced that most parts of the country, including Selangor, Federal Territories and Johor, will be under a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from 5-18 March 2021.
From 8 March 2021, no more than 30% of staff and research students (any mix of academic staff, professional staff and PhD students and Honours students) are permitted on campus per day. Heads of Schools and Units have been asked to manage this accordingly within their respective areas by maintaining the necessary rosters and issuing campus access letters to staff and students approved for campus access. Staff and students who do not have these access letters will be denied entry into the campus. Please contact your Head of School or Unit for further information.
The operating hours for our Main and JB campuses will be from 7.30 am - 6 pm on weekdays. Please do not attempt to access the campuses outside of these operating hours. The Working After Hours Procedure will apply to essential research activities at the laboratories beyond these hours.
Access to the Main Campus will be via the access gate at the Main Entrance and SMR Link Bridge only.
There will be limited campus services available at the Main Campus to support staff and students who are approved to work from campus. This has been limited to:
- Cafeteria - Uniq and Rasai Machan
- Mad Alchemy
- Health and Wellness Centre
- All suraus
- ATMs
Anyone entering the campus must comply with the campus’ standard operating procedures including:
- Scanning the MySejahtera QR code upon entry to the campus and any offices/campus facilities
- Checking your temperature upon entry
- Maintaining a minimum of 1-metre physical distance at all times
- Wearing a face mask at all times while on campus
- Observing personal hygiene
Any breach of the campus’ standard operating procedures will be treated as misconduct. For more information, click on our COVID Safe Plan.
Ensuring a safe campus community is our collective responsibility.
COVID Safe Plan
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General information
The health and safety of the Monash community is the highest priority. Monash is committed to protecting the Monash community from the transmission of COVID-19 and has developed an eight-pillars risk control strategy, in line with the government’s health directions and advice. The eight strategies work together to protect the staff, students and visitors to the University and are applied to the diverse range of spaces and activities the University undertakes. The plan is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the changing stages of the pandemic and health directions.
Monash COVID Safe Strategies
- Come to campus well
- Physical distancing
- Face mask
- Personal hygiene
- Increased cleaning
- Well-ventilated spaces
- Positive case management
- Work arrangement
Come to campus well
- Consistent with the government’s health messaging Monash has communicated to all staff and students to only attend campus if they are well.
- Monash continues to reinforce this message by communicating to all staff and students, in order to protect the Monash community, it will be essential that all staff and students who are feeling unwell, do not come to campus.
- Schools and Units to reinforce this message in all correspondence with staff and students.
- Posters to reinforce this message have been placed on the main entrance and a similar message has been placed on the LCD screens around the campus.
Physical distancing
- All Monash work areas and spaces have been assessed and maximum occupancy numbers determined to meet the relevant activity density quotients and the 1m physical distancing requirements.
- Maximum occupancy posters have been placed on entry doors to spaces and rooms and timetabling has been adjusted to schedule only a “COVID Safe” number of students into a learning space.
- The furniture in the learning spaces and communal areas has been adjusted and signage used to promote the 1m physical distancing requirements.
- Seat unavailable signage has been used in the learning spaces and communal areas to promote the 1m physical distancing requirements.
- All on-campus general public areas have been assessed to determine maximum occupancies limits. Signage of the areas and regular monitoring is in place to ensure the number of people in an area does not exceed its maximum occupancy.
- Food retail outlets on campus have all implemented the relevant density and maximum occupancy requirements for dining, everyone is encouraged to take away instead of dining in.
- Informal social spaces have been modified to meet the 1m physical distancing requirements with tables and chairs reconfigured and excess furniture removed.
- Floor markings have been installed in all areas where staff and students may congregate including queues for service desks, retail outlets, lifts and pantries.
- Contact-free services have been implemented as far as practicable, with physical distancing, hand hygiene and face masks used as control to reduce COVID-19 transmission.
- Monash staff and students are required to complete a return to campus OHS induction which includes instruction on the physical distancing requirements on campus.
Face coverings
- The requirement of wearing a face mask is mandatory on Monash campuses and buildings, and has been communicated and implemented in all areas of the University.
- Staff and students are expected to attend campus with their own appropriate face mask which must cover the nose and mouth.
- The campus community is monitoring the compliance with the mandatory face mask requirement. Campus security provide anyone a mask if they enter the campus without their own mask.
- Screens and barriers have been installed where a risk assessment has determined it provides an additional protective barrier at the high volume, public service desk points.
Personal hygiene
- Monash University has deployed hand sanitiser stations across all its campuses and buildings to ensure all staff and students have multiple opportunities to hand sanitise when entering a building or workspace and during their activities on campus. This includes stations at the entrance to buildings, entry and exits of lifts, main stair landings and in office, laboratory and teaching spaces.
- Good hygiene posters and online OHS inductions have been used to reinforce the key health messages to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
- The University cleaning team is ensuring adequate soap and tissue paper are available in all washrooms.
- Posters have been displayed in all washrooms, visible areas and above hand sanitiser stations showing the correct method of washing or sanitising hands.
Increased cleaning
- Monash has developed a new campus cleaning regime increasing the cleaning on all campuses and sites to incorporate the extensive cleaning guidelines.
- Monash has secured sufficient supply of all cleaning products and has increased the products held on site to manage peak demands.
- Routine inspections are undertaken to ensure the quality of the cleaning is maintained.
- All areas of the University have undertaken risk assessments of their activities and this assessment includes the identification of items that are shared between people. Where possible, these items have been replaced with alternatives methods or processes.
Well ventilated spaces
- The University’s ACMV systems have been adjusted to maximise the fresh air intake and increase the number of air changes in buildings. The large centralised ACMV systems have been programmed to provide daily full fresh air purges of buildings.
- The filter systems are regularly maintained and changed to ensure effective filtration.
- A range of outdoor spaces has been used as a waiting area to control indoor social crowding.
Positive case management
A COVID-19 operational team has been established and meets regularly to assess and manage the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the University’s business.
A detailed management plan has been developed for a positive or suspected case of COVID-19. The plan includes:
- Reporting procedures for staff and student
- Establishment of a case management team
- Care of the affected staff member or student
- Engagement with the Ministry of Health of Malaysia (MoH)
- Management of internal communications, cleaning and building access
- Reporting and monitoring
Recording attendance - Monash has developed a range of strategies to record the attendance of staff, students, contractors and other visitors to our campuses and sites. This includes QR code scanning, door swipe access recording, visitor logs and contractor sign in/out logs. This information will be utilised to assist MoH and Monash to identify close contacts.
Workplace reporting - Anyone who suspects they may be infected with Covid-19 should seek medical advice immediately and notify Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (OHSE) by calling 03-5514 6040 (24 hours).
Cleaning - Monash has engaged specialised cleaning companies to undertake cleaning in response to a result of a positive COVID case. The companies have trained personnel and have inspected the key areas of the University to understand the size and complexity of some of our buildings or spaces in preparation for deep cleaning should it be required.
Refer to the poster below for your role in COVID-19 chain.
Work arrangements
- Monash has implemented a “Work From Home” strategy consistent with government guidelines and has established a range of HR procedures and resources to support staff working from home.
- Monash has developed a transitioned return to work approach for teams as part of its reactivation approach.
- Where applicable work schedules have been developed and implemented to reduce the interaction of staff between shifts and/or teams to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
- For work areas with cross-campus responsibilities, alternative arrangement has been made to minimise the movement of staff between campuses and sites.
- Cross-team communication has moved to online formats.
Staff and student role in COVID-19 chain
Campus Emergency Procedures
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Research
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General principles and relevant information
- Essential research activities requiring specialised on-campus equipment are permitted at this time.
- Students: Your School would have planned and informed you of your research schedules. Please ensure you abide by these schedules.
- Staff: Activities in research laboratories are primarily for important research with critical need. Please check with your Head of School if you are authorised to access the research laboratories.
- Detailed laboratory requirements are contained in the Research Laboratories procedure. Please follow the entry and exit protocols for laboratories.
- There will be a notice outside each laboratory outlining the number of people permitted in the laboratory at any one time.
- Postgraduate Centres is closed until further notice.
- Disposal of waste shall follow established waste management protocols.
- Any maintenance, service or repair activities must comply with additional OHS procedures for COVID-19 prevention.
- Any delivery of material must comply with the Delivery Procedures and at the designated delivery locations.
Laboratory maintenance & deliveries
Fieldwork, conference & seminar
- Higher education institutions have been advised to suspend off-campus fieldwork until further notice.
- Researchers and students are not allowed to attend any face-to-face conference/seminar in and outside the country until further notice.