COVID-19: Level 3 and Level 2 Extensions

Following an update received from Prime Minister Ardern and the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield this evening, keeping with the precautionary approach New Zealand will maintain current Alert level settings for an additional 12 days. Auckland to remain at Alert Level 3 and the rest of New Zealand at Alert Level 2 until Wednesday the 26^th August 11:59pm.

These alert levels will be reviewed again on Friday the 21^st August across all regions. At this point in time there is nothing to suggest a move to Alert level 4 at this stage. The Government has confirmed 30 cases of community transmission since Tuesday; 28 in Auckland and 2 in Tokoroa all of which are linked to the South Auckland cluster.

For more information around what the Alert Levels mean, please head to the Government website.

Next steps

Auckland and Manukau at Level 3

From Monday (17th of August) through to Friday (21^st of August), all onsite campus activities will move to remote online learning, This will be communicated through your Heads of Department, Programme Directors, and Academic Leaders.

Official QR Code posters are displayed across campus and students are required to download the NZ COVID Tracer App. We request that students arrange a date and time slot for the pick-up of any required materials through their Academic Leaders. No students should access the campus over the weekend or for the following week without making these arrangements.

All students are required to contact trace with our Whitecliffe logbook, social distancing must be followed and face masks are highly recommended.

If you have had any contact with the new identified Covid19 cluster or are sick (with loss of smell, sore throat, fever, cough, cold) do not come to campus when allowed.

Christchurch and Wellington at Level 2

Christchurch and Wellington campuses will remain open, however, if you are immune-compromised, or caring for/living with vulnerable people please do not come into campus if this can be avoided - at least until we have clarity on the extent of the community transmission.

Keep track of where you’ve been

Whitecliffe strongly encourages all staff to download the use NZ COVID Tracer, it's a lot easier for health officials to let you know about any risk of exposure.

• Download from the Apple store
• Download from Google Play

During your time on the campus, you must maintain physical distance, hand washing and regularly clean surfaces that you are working on.

Please reach out to your Academic Leader if you have any further questions.

Online Support

Our tech support while learning remotely page will be updated regularly with information that supports online delivery for Whitecliffe students and staff.

• If you need IT support while working remotely, contact our IT team through the student portal: mywhitecliffe.com
• If you are having trouble logging in to mywhitecliffe email support@whitecliffe.ac.nz
• When emailing for support, please remember to include your full name, ID number and the programme name you are enrolled in.

Online Communication Tools

Please actively monitor your Whitecliffe email account and related Microsoft 365 applications relevant to your course, such as your Teams channel.

Your wellbeing is important to us

We acknowledge that this may be a period of uncertainty, we are here to support you.

Our Pastoral Care team is still operating during the different alert levels, providing support via teams or telephone.

There are other counselling tools available to you:

EAP Services

• https://www.eapservices.co.nz/
• Click on request appointment at the bottom of the page or give them a call on 0800 327 669

1737 – Need to talk

• This is a free text or call line available 24/7
• These services are confidential and offer a listening ear, advice and directions to link in with other services

The Whitecliffe Leadership team is working closely together and are monitoring the situation to provide timely updates as required.

We’ve done this before and we can do it again. He waka eke noa, we are all in this together.