As in all institutions of higher education of Ukraine, in Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute quarantine continues in connection with the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic. Vadym Kondratyuk, who is Vice-Rector for Administrative Work, tells that the university continues to function and takes measures to protect employees from infection.
- At the end of March, the Kyiv City State Administration decided to suspend people from using public transport and came to a decision hat public transport will move only employees of structures that provide medical services and law enforcement officers. Approximately 255,000 special access cards were produced by the Kyiv City State Administration for budget institutions that are supposed to support the life-sustaining activity and functioning of facilities. Of this amount, the university received 200 special access cards for our employees, which were primarily distributed to the economic services, the security department, the student nutrition centre, and the campus. These are the very structures that have to ensure the work of the university in difficult conditions. It should be noted that among the priority tasks we must take care of the property, security, in addition, it was reported that in Kyiv, a large number of looting was recorded in those budget institutions where their functioning was suspended. We also gave special access cards to those employees who are involved in the service of the chief mechanic and the chief power engineer, because they have to monitor the reliable uninterrupted functioning of engineering networks on the territory of the university. In addition, special access cards were given to employees of the student nutrition centre due to the fact that cadets of the Institute of Special Communications and Information Protection live and study on the territory of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute: to whom we must provide food according to the contract. As for the campus, there is a residential complex, the functionality of which must be maintained to provide comfortable living conditions for about 4 thousand students who stayed at university dormitories. At the earliest possible date, we hope to receive another 450 special access cards, which we will be able to distribute to employees engaged in science, academic or other work.
- How many people go to work at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute every day? How do they get to university and return home?
- On average, approximately 500 people go to work in Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute every day. Many of them come by their own transport, 40-60 people are delivered by motor transport enterprise vehicles of the university.
- Aren't there any problems with the executive discipline of workers at this, to put it mildly, difficult time?
- We are sympathetic towards people over 60 years with an understanding of the situation that has arisen because they, according to experts, are at risk. We ask them to stay at home and be on lockdown. And those people who go to work today, in my opinion, show a full understanding of the current situation and try to comply with quarantine rules and requirements.
- What measures are taken to protect workers from infection?
- Straight after the announcement of the quarantine, the university began to purchase personal protective equipment against coronavirus. The state has simplified the procurement procedure - with the onset of quarantine, we can purchase protection through the conclusion of direct contracts with organisations that are able to supply them. The following purchases have already been made at the university: masks - 3 thousand pieces; antiseptics - about 150 litres; disposal gloves - about 600 pairs. They were distributed among employees who go to work according to given access cards. In addition, we received from the specialist design department "Storm" 60 litres of disinfectant solutions, which are used for hand sanitising, cleaning. In the centre of physical education and sports, we have a special installation, which is used for chlorination of the pool during its functioning and water purification. Now we use it to obtain a solution of sodium hypochlorite, which is used to disinfect academic buildings. This solution has already been received about 400 litres. We distribute it to all buildings and buildings of the university campus for cleaning in places where people are(three times a week), as well as - preventively - where there is nobody(twice a week).
- In what way is a decision pending with the performance of earlier planned general labor activities which in connection with quarantine are suspended is solved?
- Of course, in the current conditions, it is difficult to ensure the implementation of previously planned works. Both our repair and construction services and contracting organisations, in accordance with the terms of the quarantine, have partially suspended their work. For those people who work, it is not easy, and often impossible, to create the right conditions to protect them from infection. In order not to waste time, we are working on concluding new contracts with contractingorganisations, we intend to ask them to perform the work planned for the first term during the summer. And thus, we hope, it will be possible to overcome the schedule delay, and at the end of the year to reach the planned final result of 2020. I will note that concerning providing public services and utilities we have some territories on which we are ahead of schedule. This advance was also successful because this year's weather made it possible in February to carry out what was planned for later dates.
- Thank you for your answers!
- I will make a request to all employees of the university: take care of your health, follow the rules of quarantine, avoid crowded places.