Kia ora koutou,

With so much information and misinformation swirling around about COVID-19, I wanted to update you on what EIT are doing in light of the recent developments. We have been planning for this and are in a position to respond quickly. At this stage we have no reason to believe that EIT will need to shut for any length of time.

Is EIT still open?

Yes. Teaching and learning is happening as normal and all classes are running. However, all noho marae and large events have been cancelled, and we are prepared for any eventuality.

What happens if there is a confirmed case at EIT?

• As soon as a case is confirmed in our immediate EIT community (e.g. a student, staff, etc.), the Medical Officer of Health and Ministry of Education will inform EIT about this, and we will work together to get quick and clear messaging out to you.
• In this case, we will likely be asked to close temporarily by the Medical Officer of Health. This will allow time to trace for close contacts, undertake appropriate testing and a careful clean of the campus.
• If one of our campuses does need to close temporarily, we are planning for various scenarios to support every single student without significantly disrupting studies.

How is your learning going to continue?

We are currently increasing our online and remote learning opportunities. We are also considering alternative options for students enrolled in practical programmes that can’t be taught online. If it becomes necessary, start dates and assessments are going to be changed and adapted.

You can find the most common FAQs on our website. For any programme-specific queries please speak directly to your programme coordinator or email to covid19@eit.ac.nz.

Is EIT increasing their cleaning?

Yes. As of Monday, 23 March, we will step up our cleaning efforts at all campuses and regional learning centres:

• High use areas will be cleaned during the day, focusing on high-use areas (e.g. door handles).
• Paper towels will replace cloth rollers.
• Additional bins will be introduced for the disposal of paper towels.
• Hand sanitizer bottles will be available in large computer labs. Regularly washing your hands, is still the best prevention for these surfaces however.
• Auckland, Tairāwhiti campus and the Regional Learning Centres are also extending their cleaning by hiring extra cleaning staff, and extra cleaning in toilets and high traffic areas.

What you can do?

• Practise good hygiene, stay at home if you feel unwell and try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
• Take information shared via social media with a grain of salt and get your information from reliable sources such as the Ministry of Health.

We know that the COVID-19 situation can seem overwhelming and upsetting. We are getting the most up to date guidance directly from the Ministry of Health so that we can confidently make informed decisions about the safety and wellbeing of our EIT community.

You can find the most common FAQs on our website. For any programme-specific queries please speak directly to your programme coordinator or email to covid19@eit.ac.nz. Please check EIT’s Facebook page, EIT’s website and your email inbox for updates.  

Ngā mihi

Brenda Chapman
Executive Director – Marketing