Announcements

Dear colleagues and students,

We hope you have had a safe, productive and enjoyable start to the new semester.

We continue to closely monitor the situation regarding community transmission of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. The past few weeks have demonstrated we can take nothing for granted if we are to maintain our hard-fought gains against the virus, and continue academic life with a semblance of normality.

While the response to our request for staff and students to upload vaccination and regular testing information has been overwhelmingly positive, with up to 95% reporting they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, recent community transmission of the virus reminds us we need to be constantly vigilant and maximise our collective efforts in ensuring the health and safety of our community.

Many of you will have seen news regarding the upcoming launch of a “vaccination bubble” in Hong Kong. The University has always sought to closely align its response with government health advice.

To ensure the continued strength of our response to what remains an ongoing battle against the pandemic, the University is announcing the following measures which will be effective from Thursday 24 February 2022:

• All persons including staff, students, residents, contractors and visitors must have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination in order to gain entry to the University campus and facilities – in accordance with the government’s scheme, the first dose must be taken by 24 February and you must have taken at least two doses within eight weeks of this date
• The only exemption to this new arrangement will be for those who cannot be vaccinated due to a valid medical reason – ongoing access to the University campus for staff and students will depend on the weekly submission of COVID-19 tests to the University’s Vaccination/Regular Testing Report system (VTR) portal
• All administrative units processing requests for visitor QR codes will be required to cite a vaccination record demonstrating at least one dose prior to issuing a visitor QR code
• All visitors using a Hong Kong Identity Card or CUHK Alumni Credit Card must provide security personnel a digital or printed copy of a vaccination record showing at least one dose prior to entering the campus
• All visitors, residents and contractors unable to be vaccinated due to a valid medical reason must produce a medical certificate accompanied by a negative COVID-19 result issued within the past seven days

Additionally, the University has announced the following measures to support staff and students and enhance the protection of our community:

• Staff and students who are subjected to mandatory testing, quarantine or isolation requirements may apply to their relevant departments/units to approve special work or learning and teaching arrangements  
• Supervisors may approve flexible work arrangements such as remote work for staff who are pregnant or are suffering from chronic disease
• Provided business continuity can be maintained, supervisors may authorise staggered office hours and lunch breaks to minimise mobility levels on public transport and reduce usage of public dining areas at peak periods
• The VTR portal has been updated to enable staff and students to upload information regarding booster vaccination status under the government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme
• Following the government’s extension of social distancing measures to Thursday 3 February 2022, all restrictions on dine-in services after 6.00pm, as well as the closure of Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, Lee Hysan Concert Hall, and on campus sporting facilities will remain in place pending any further changes to the government’s announcement

We are confident that these measures will maximise the protection of the University community and enable us to continue arrangements for the current semester with a high degree of confidence.

The next few weeks will be a critical period in what remains a challenging and uncertain juncture in our navigation of the pandemic. The safety and wellbeing of the entire University community is our absolute priority and we will continue to closely monitor what is an evolving situation and we are prepared to introduce additional measures should they be required.

Please visit our FAQ page for the most detailed, and up-to-date information about our detailed response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for continuing to do your part to keep our community safe.

Yours sincerely,

Emergency Response Group
The Chinese University of Hong Kong