COVID-19 Follow-up Committee held a meeting at the Presidency of the Lebanese University (LU) on 7 May 2020 in the presence of LU President, Prof. Fouad Ayoub, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dr. Pierre Yared, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, Dr. Toni Zeinoun, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Dr. Hasna Bou Haroun, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Dr. Bassam Badran, Dean of the Faculty of Letters & Human Sciences, Dr. Ahmad Rabah, Director of the National Center for the Quality of Medicine, Food, Water & Chemicals, Dr. Nazih Abou Chahine, Head of the Department of Epidemiology at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dr. Roula Atoui, Director of LU Medical Center at the Faculty of Public Health, Dr. Elie Hadchiti, and the Coordinator of the Office of Communication & Information at the Central Administration, Dr. Hoda Moukannas.

At the end of the meeting, the participants announced the following measures and procedures for the safe return of administrative and academic staff to LU faculties:

1- Preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 within the faculties:

·         Not attending in case of witnessing the following symptoms: fever, flu, cough, dyspnea, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, etc.;

·         Wearing a mask at the Faculty throughout the day;

·         Taking temperature at the entrance of the Faculty;

·         Prohibiting the use of elevators, except in special cases, and frequent cleaning of external and internal panels and buttons;

·         Daily sterilizing tables and chairs by cleaning staff, then by teachers and students as they enter and leave classrooms, and this applies to all staff, using a 70% alcoholic solution and single-use wipes;

·         Setting hand disinfectants in each room;

·         Ventilating the room for half an hour after the exit of students and before the entrance of a new group;

·         Abiding by the principle of social distancing, i.e. keeping a distance of 1.5 m between each person, meaning that the number of persons in each room may not exceed one person per 3 m², and it is recommended that the maximum number of persons allowed be displayed on the door of each room and office;

·         Installing protective barriers for each office to prevent the entry of individuals and social interaction;

·         Monitoring the proper implementation of preventive measures within the University by student volunteers.

2- Academic measures to facilitate the prevention process and avoid social interaction within the faculties:

·         Closing Libraries;

·         Amending the teaching program so that the student does not remain in the Faculty for more than 4 consecutive hours per day, and working hours in each room are divided into two shifts (i.e., 4 hours in the morning and 4 in the afternoon);

·         Possibility of pursuing e-learning for certain courses, where appropriate, and each dean shall make appropriate decisions for each Branch, provided that the interests of the students and the principle of social distancing are respected;

·         During the examination period, one day is dedicated in the Faculty for each academic year (or department) so that students are distributed in all rooms.

Creating a WhatsApp group for those who have attended the training to remind them of the prevention standards.

Requesting the Ministry of Public Health to conduct screening tests for students, staff and teachers 14 and 28 days after their return to university.