Concerns at Dundalk IT over level of precautions against Covid-19 virus

A number of staff and student at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) have voiced concerns over the level of precautionary measures being taken at the Institute against the coronavirus, Covid-19.

With no decision taken yet at a governmental level on what actions schools and third level institutions should take to combat the virus, current precautions and communications at DkIT are mainly those decided upon by the institute itself.

With around 5,000 students at DkIT, coming from the whole north east region and further afield, a number of staff members at DkIT told the Dundalk Democrat that they are worried that the institute is not doing enough to stop the potential spread of the virus.

The main image above is of outside the restaurant at DkIT and was taken this morning. The restaurant can cater for several hundred people a day but the only precautionary measure at the facility is a bottle of sanitiser on a shelf outside the restaurant. There are no posters advising people to use it or highlighting any precautions they should take.

One person told the Democrat that they are very concerned about rooms in the PJ Carrolls building, for reasons including a lack of ventilation in the rooms in the building. Over 1,000 are believed to use the building but the only indication that was visible when was a bottle of sanitiser inside the front door of the building(see below image).

The individual who wished to remain anonymous, suggested that moving the Easter holidays forward might be the best solution to help combat the virus.

The Democrat has contacted DkIT to find out what other measures it has in place, as well as if it plans on bringing forward the Easter holidays, and if management at the institute is meeting to put any further plans in place. The institute has yet to respond.

As can be seen in the images below, there are varying levels of precautions in each of the buildings, from a single bottle of hand sanitiser sitting on a shelf outside the restaurant, to a workstation with with hand sanitiser, instructions and aprons inside the main door at reception.

^{ABOVE: The bottle of hand sanitiser on the table in the image above is the only precautionary measure at one of the main doors at DkIT. There is no indication otherwise advising students on handwashing, sanitising, etc.}

^{ABOVE: The workstation above containing hand sanitiser, instructions and aprons is inside the front door of the main building at reception.}

^{ABOVE: The nursing building has a number of posters advising people to wash their hands. It also has a workstation with hand sanitisers, instructions and aprons (BELOW)}