The ANU has implemented a trial “Enhanced Stay-at-Home-Orders” (SAHO) system for residents affected by close-contact students to COVID-19. This decision comes following communication with ACT Health and the ANU Covid Response Office. These ‘enhanced orders’ will be implemented for all residences that currently have close contacts, including Fenner Hall, John XXIII College, Wamburun Hall and Burgmann College.
The blanket conditions of the ‘Enhanced’ SAHO include a prohibition on residents leaving the residence for shopping or vaccinations, an introduction of ‘bubble groups’ of a select group of residents, wearing a mask outside room, and the use of kitchens within rostered times.
Some residences may be offered meal delivery services, however this is dependent upon the kitchen facilities at the residence. At this stage, some remain under different restrictions. These are detailed below.
Students at Fenner Hall will now be allowed to cook for 30 minutes each day with the rest of their floor, but not with anyone else. Lunch will not be provided and it is expected that students use this 30 minutes to cook lunch. Students cannot leave for groceries nor vaccinations, but they may exercise for up to an hour with an exercise buddy. Students will no longer have floor buddies with whom they can socialise.
At John XXIII College, corridor bubbles will be split to twenty residents, and all designated buddies must be within this split corridor. Residents can only interact with their buddy during the hour-long exercise time and cannot socialise outside of this time. Meals will be delivered to each room.
At Wamburun Hall, students will be allowed to exercise while masked with one nominated individual from their soon to be assigned ‘geographical bubbles’. These groups will also be allocated times to use the kitchens.
Residents at Burgmann College are also subject to the ‘bubble’ system, and have named it the ‘SAHO Bubble Model”. Buddies are no longer allowed to visit one another’s rooms, and no person is allowed to leave the residence, even if they are an ‘essential’ worker. ACT Health and the ANU have advised residents that the restrictions will remain in place until at least August 19.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Woroni, Woroni Radio and Woroni TV are created, edited, published, printed and distributed. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. We acknowledge that the name Woroni was taken from the Wadi Wadi Nation without permission, and we are striving to do better for future reconciliation.