COVID-19: UI directs students to vacate campus, hostels, orders closure of primary, secondary schools

As people across the globe continue to panic and employing safety strategies in curtailing the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, the authorities of the University of Ibadan have directed students of the institution to vacate the campus.

UI in a special release, marked 4297 and titled, “Closure of the University to Students” and made available to us on Friday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital maintained that the decision was taken as precautionary measure to curtail the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the university.
The statement signed by the institution’s Registrar, Olubunmi Faluyi, directed all students, undergraduates and post-graduates to vacate the campus with effect from today, Friday 20th March, 2020.

“This is to inform the University Community that the Board of Health of the University of Ibadan at its meeting of Thursday, 19 March 2020 considered the state of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria.
“As a health safety precautionary measure, it recommended that all students (both undergraduate and postgraduate) vacate the Campus immediately. The Vice-Chancellor has approved this recommendation on behalf of the Senate”.
The statement added that the institution would remain closed till further notice.

It also directed that all primary and secondary schools in the university should remain closed until the pandemic is brought under effective control.
“Consequently, all students are hereby directed to vacate the campus with effect from Friday, 20 March 2020.
“The institution will remain closed to students until further notice. However, the Students’ Affairs Division of the University will see to any need to make special arrangements for international students who are unable to vacate their hostels.

“All primary and secondary schools located within the campus of the University of Ibadan are hereby advised to close until the Pandemic is brought under effective control.
“All staff and students, wherever they may be, are strongly advised to adhere strictly to all health safety measures to avoid exposure to or contact with the virus. These include:
Social distancing
Avoidance of handshakes and other unnecessary physical contact
Regular washing of hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds
Use of hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol
Avoidance of touching of eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
Avoidance of contact with people who are sick
Practising safe coughing or sneezing techniques
Regular cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, phones and keyboards.
“Please let us all keep safe as much as it lies with us during this period”.

We recalls that the university has earlier suspended international conference holding in the institution.
Similarly, the University of Ibadan Muslim Community in its bid to curtail the spread of the deadly Coronavirus also on Thursday said it has suspended the weekly Friday Jummat service till further notice.
It was gathered that since the outbreak of Coronavirus in China, over 7,000 people have lost their lives while over hundred thousand people have been infected since December last year when it was discovered in a Chinese town.