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Canberra Today 26°/28° | Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Covid uncertainty grounds student airlift

UC vice-chancellor Prof Paddy Nixon… ““The health and safety of our students, staff, the university communities and that of the broader community has always been our first priority.”   Photo: Holly Treadaway

THE international student airlift planned by the ANU and UC has been postponed.

Given the recent COVID developments, the universities say they have decided to postpone the well-advanced “Safe Passage” pilot plan to return 350 continuing students to Canberra campuses in late July until there is a clearer picture around the COVID trajectory.

The plan would have had a small number of international students recommence their semester 2 studies on campus following 14 days, police-supervised quarantine in apartment-style accommodation.

Strict protocols and testing were planned to be in place for their flights, transfers and supervised quarantine, with all students needing to return a negative test before leaving quarantine.

UC vice-chancellor Prof Paddy Nixon said: “The health and safety of our students, staff, the university communities and that of the broader community has always been our first priority.

“Given the ever-evolving circumstance of this global pandemic, we think it best to press pause on our plans to return a small number of our valued continuing international students who contribute so much to the vibrancy of our city and our campus.”

 

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