04. COVID-19

Introduction

Since the publication of the Return to Work Safely Protocol in May 2020, UL’s Space Management Committee (SMC) has been responsible for formulating and implementing UL’s COVID-19 response. As SMC’s appointed Project Manager for UL’s COVID-19 response, B&E has had significant input into all 43 SMC meetings held in 2021. Over the same period B&E was required to prepare 21 reports for Executive on SMC activity.

Some COVID-19 mitigation measures undertaken/managed by B&E in 2020 continued into and in some cases throughout 2021 including: ✓ Weekly reports to SMC on implementation of COVID-19 mitigation measures, issues arising and future planned activity. ✓ The distribution of homeworking equipment ✓ The distribution of PPE including FFP2 respirators ✓ The distribution of face coverings to students including (i) UL-branded face coverings to incoming first years and international students (distributed via the Student Life and UL Global respectively), and (ii)

DFHERIS supplied disposable face coverings (distributed via the Student Life and Postgraduate Students’

Union) ✓ Approval of (updated) COVID-19 Business Response Plans ✓ Facilities management measures including the provision of stocked hand sanitising and self-cleaning stations, Eco Static cleaning and thorough cleaning of frequently touched surfaces. ✓ Observations of space utilisation including the Library.

Spring semester 2021

Due to a deteriorating epidemiological situation in December 2020, Ireland was placed under Level 5 restrictions for all of January 2021. Early in January, the Minister at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) asked third level institutions “use their existing discretion to restrict onsite attendance further, only allowing the most essential work to take place onsite”. As a result, and due to ongoing high case numbers/constrained roll-out if the vaccine in the first quarter of 2021, only limited on-campus teaching went ahead during the Spring Semester. To further restrict onsite activity, B&E implemented an agreed restricted building access procedure, which meant buildings not used for teaching (except for the library) were kept locked. Furthermore, events taking place on campus had to adhere to a B&E/Health and Safety (H&S) devised process endorsed by SMC. Prior to the roll-out of the vaccine in the community (which commenced with the over 85s in February 2021) the focus of containing COVID-19 was extensive case finding and tracing of infection. In collaboration with local Public Health Office and others, B&E facilitated three mass testing events on campus in 2021 during which nearly 2,200 students were tested for COVID-19. Later in the year when the focus switched to vaccinating individuals, B&E facilitated two vaccination clinics for students at which over 400 individuals were vaccinated.

Towards the end of the Spring Semester, B&E in conjunction with the Information Technology Division led the development and deployment of a COVID-19 Day Pass Portal (aimed at students). This was primarily implemented in the Library where compliance was monitored and reported on by B&E over the duration of the trial which lasted 5 weeks.

Exams

B&E put in place some specific COVID-19 mitigation measures during the exam periods ✓ Summer 2021 Exams: To facilitate students undertaking proctored and nonproctored exams, B&E deployed 100 additional bookable desks set up in accordance with the required COVID-19 measures and supervised. ✓ Winter 2021 Exams: B&E implemented a room-by-room, exam-by-exam ventilation strategy to ensure good ventilation in accordance with the relevant guidance (e.g. WHO, CIBSE, REHVA etc.) whilst simultaneously mitigating against thermal discomfort. As Storm Barra occurred during the Winter 2021 exams, measures were devised to ensure exams could proceed with the necessary ventilation and heating in place if necessary. ✓ B&E prepared a position paper which considered the costs and logistics of both self-administered antigen tests and antigen testing as a service as a COVID-19 mitigation measure for exams. Having considered both, SMC decided not to pursue either option.

A return to activity on campus

In late April 2021 the government made a commitment to a significant increase in on-site higher education and research from the beginning of the 2021/2022 academic year. In June 2021 DFHERIS published a A Safe Return which provided the framework to enable a safe return to on-site activity. Accordingly, research activity on campus ramped over the summer 2021, with on-campus teaching reverting to near pre-COVID levels at the start of the Autumn 2021 semester (except for large lectures with over 300 in attendance which remained online). Through the actioning and approval of COVID-19 Business Response plans and implementation of the provisions contained within the Work Safely Protocol B&E played a central role in preparing the campus for a safe return to onsite activity. As restrictions around dining remained in place for much of the Autumn 2021 semester, B&E set up a marquee in the main plaza for those availing of take-out dining.

Ventilation

Throughout the pandemic the pandemic B&E has carefully reviewed and implemented guidance on ventilation in the context of COVID-19 including that provided by REHVA, CIBSE, ECDC, WHO and the Work Safely Protocol (as updated) and has consistently recommended maximising ventilation in naturally ventilated spaces. Over the course of 2021 B&E undertook a comprehensive ventilation review of c. 2,500+ multi-occupancy spaces including lecture theatres, classrooms, laboratories, multi-occupancy offices, meeting rooms and single occupancy offices with meeting room facilities which included both mechanically and naturally ventilated spaces. This was a resource intensive and complex task involving multiple teams. Where ventilation issues were observed, solutions were identified, implemented, and verified with the objective being twofold: (i) to return spaces to normal occupancy and (ii) roll-out long-term fixes in the shortest timeframe possible.

Rapid Antigen Diagnostic Testing

In late 2021 B&E successfully rolled the HSE’s Rapid Antigen Diagnostic Testing (RADT) Pilot at UL. The aim of the program was to operationally test a self-managed RADT programme for asymptomatic adults in education settings and establish the feasibility of implementation at scale. In total 244 staff and students collected their antigen test kits representing a 96% takeup compared to the number of kits issued to UL for distribution by the HSE. In December 2021 DFHERIS announced a €9m Antigen Test Fund to provide a small number of free antigen tests to all students in further and higher education institutions. B&E quickly secured a stock of antigen tests and in association with the Office of the Provost, Academic Registry, Student Life, the Postgraduate Students’ Union, and H&S facilitated issuing circa 2,000 students with a box of five antigen tests prior to their returning home for Christmas.