Students' Health Insurance

LUMS is providing health coverage to students through IGI General Insurance Pakistan. As per the revised policy 2023–2024 for students, the coverage for hospitalization (IPD) has been increased from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 600,000 per year per student, while room rent has been elevated from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 15,000 per day. Additionally, this year's policy includes a range of new specialized investigations and day care procedures.

To take benefit from your health insurance, you must download IGI E-card by following the simple steps listed below:

• Click on the link: https://api.igiinsurance.com.pk/general_user_card/
• Enter your 'CNIC' with dashes/in case of foreigner write your ‘PASSPORT’ number
• Select Company Type as 'Conventional'
• Type 'Captcha'
• Click on 'Login'
• Your E-card will appear in a new window, click on 'Download/Print'
• Your E-card will appear in a browser page, depending upon the browser, you have to click the download icon and save it on your computer/mobile phone in a PDF format

You can use your IGI E-card for cashless in-patient medical treatment at any of the panel hospitals (list for panel hospitals).

For a detailed coverage policy and information on obtaining prior approval from the insurance company, please (click here). Keep in mind that prior approval from IGI is mandatory for non-panel hospitals, daycare procedures, and specialized investigations.

If you've already made a payment to the hospital for a covered medical treatment and wish to claim reimbursement, please fill out the (IPD Claim Form) and email it to studentmedicalclaims@lums.edu.pk promptly upon discharge. Ensure that you include all required supporting documents as per the checklist available on the second page of the IPD claim.

LUMS Health Collaborations

LUMS has MOUs with the following laboratory and hospitals, providing the community with various benefits upon verifying their identity through the LUMS smart card. The benefits include:

1. Dr. Essa Laboratory and Diagnostic Center:

1. 50% discount on laboratory services
2. 30% discount on radiology services
3. 25% discount on dental services
4. 10% discount on routine COVID PCR
5. 50% discount on pre-employment and annual medicals
6. Fee sample collection for the LUMS community residing within LUMS premises and in the surroundings of laboratory’s network branches in various cities

Contact Information:

• Website: https://dressalab.com/
• Contact Number: 0320-4005368

2. Farooq Hospital:

1. Flat 20 % discounts (excluding OPD) on hospital services, e.g., in-patient, emergencies, lab, and diagnostic services, upon showing LUMS smart card
2. For priority OPD bookings, one can present a LUMS smart card on the counter or give details over the phone. However, LUMS community affiliates can get a privilege membership card on their first visit to Farooq Hospital, DHA, Lahore
3. The Psychological and Psychiatric teams’ close collaboration with LUMS counselling and psychological services (CAPS) regarding the mental health challenges
4. Twice a year, medical camps and regular awareness sessions are held (as per need and agreed schedule)

Contact Information:

• Website: https://farooqhospital.com/farooq-hospital-dha-branch/
• Contact Numbers: 0330-0600800, 042-3570 9673, 042-3570 9938, 042-3572 9756

3. Integrated Medical Care (IMC) Hospital:

1. The Hospital shall provide OPD, medical services, diagnostic facilities, and treatment options to patients referred by the qualified healthcare professionals at agreed-upon discounted rate of 10% to the rack rates. Please note, no discounts will be applied on outsourced Lab tests and MRI
2. IMC hospital, in cooperation with LUMS’s healthcare professionals and students shall establish and operate free clinics at LUMS
3. IMC shall offer clinical training opportunities, internships, and rotations for the LUMS’s healthcare management and allied students, providing them with hands-on experience in a real healthcare setting

Contact Information:

• Website: https://www.imchospital.com.pk/
• Contact Numbers: 042-37178904, 0300-0341462

Free Medical Clinics

LUMS presently operates two free clinics at its Medical Center and has ambitious plans to broaden this service by partnering with additional free clinics.

Information about the current free clinics is provided below:

a) Dermatology Clinic:

Keeping in view the everyday skin related problems, Dr. Qazi Hammad Ahmed; MBBS, FCPS (Derma), dermatologist consultant at the National Hospital & Medical Center, Lahore, is currently running this clinic for one hour every Tuesday.

b) Gynecology Clinic:

As per the demand and need for gynecological advice among our female community at LUMS, we therefore started a free gynecology clinic at the LUMS Medical Center in collaboration with Farooq Hospital. A qualified gynecologist is available every Friday for one to two hours.

Note: To avoid any inconvenience, individuals are advised to book a slot for the free clinic by presenting their LUMS smart card at the Medical Center desk.

Health Guidelines

The health of the LUMS students is of foremost importance to us. As a vibrant community where students live, learn, and grow, it is crucial to follow health guidelines to ensure the well-being of one another.

General Guidelines

• Keep your COVID vaccination status up to date with the required data on Zambeel
• Take regular showers and disinfect or wash your hands before eating anything
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or use tissue paper. Never cough, or sneeze into your hands or in the open air. Dispose of used tissues properly in designated bins
• Help keep the campus clean by avoiding littering
• Students must carry their personal hand sanitizers and use them when needed
• Smoking is prohibited and is allowed only in designated areas on the campus. Smoking in non-designated areas will result in student fines of Rs. 5,000 (first violation), Rs. 10,000 (second violation) and in case of third violation, the student will immediately be revoked of campus access privileges and hostel accommodation for the semester

As a community, it is important for us to be vigilant and observe protocols that will mitigate the risk of infection transmission to others.

Specific Guidelines in Case of Sickness

1. If you experience symptoms such as fever, body aches, sore throat, frequent sneezing or coughing, blisters/red spots, or any other health issues (even milder ones), it is essential to practice social distancing, wear a mask and promptly visit the LUMS Medical Center for a checkup. If you are diagnosed as sick, please follow these guidelines:
   1. Students MUST wear a face mask in any enclosed premises or activities, such as lectures or training
   2. Wear a mask during outdoor gatherings as well
   3. Ensure that the face mask covers your nose and mouth completely. If you need to briefly remove it outdoors, secure it under your chin
2. If you are certain that you have been exposed to someone with a contagious viral infection, specifically COVID-19, immediately consult with the doctor at the campus Medical Center
3. Close contacts of infected students should take precautions such as masks and social distancing         
   (Definition of close contact: A close contact is defined as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection).
4. If you have tested COVID positive, immediately notify LUMS by emailing campus.health@lums.edu.pk.
5. As soon as we find out that a COVID positive student has attended in-person classes LUMS will immediately notify the instructor of the course, the HOD, and the dean.
6. In case of any contagious viral infection (including COVID-19, Monkeypox, Chickenpox, etc.), students are required to promptly isolate themselves from others and immediately return to their homes. Additionally, the parents or guardians of the affected student may be notified and requested to pick them up from campus. Upon recovery and returning to campus, the student must immediately obtain clearance from the doctor at the campus Medical Center before joining classes.

Additional Guidelines for Resident Students

In the case of any contagious viral infection (including COVID-19, Monkeypox, Chickenpox, etc.), students residing in the hostels will be relocated to an isolation facility. Their parents or guardian will be informed, and a choice/approach for treatment will be agreed upon depending on the changing situation, e.g., parents or guardian pickup, treatment in an agreed hospital with an attendant arranged by the family.

Isolation Facilities:

• Students will not be allowed to leave their rooms. Staff will help them access food
• The nursing staff from the Medical Center will take your vitals and coordinate with the doctor at the Medical Center
• You will have telephone access to the housing staff and the Medical Center (Ph: 042 3560 8000 ext. 8500)
• In case of serious symptoms, you will be moved to a hospital in consultation with your parents/guardians. Attendant and all expenses have to be arranged by your family and/or through your student insurance cover. You can return to campus once you have clearance from the hospital and from the LUMS Medical Center doctor

Health Support on Campus for all LUMS Students

• Nursing staff and doctors at the Medical Center are available 24 x 7 x 365
• COVID-19 Rapid Antigen test at the campus Medical Center
• Psychological support through Counselling & Psychological Services (CAPS) is available 24 x 7 x 365. For more details, you can visit https://caps.lums.edu.pk/
• Health insurance cover through IGI

Additional Health Support on Campus for Resident Students

• Isolation centers are available on the ground floor of M-5 for males and F-5 for females
• If the doctor recommends a lab test while the student is in the isolation center, then the student will bear the cost. The University has made arrangements with some credible pathology labs in Lahore to pick up onsite samples
• Psychological Support - Students feeling distressed are encouraged to seek help from campus counselors at 0307 024 7704 or student.counselling@lums.edu.pk. For more details, you can visit https://caps.lums.edu.pk/

In Case of Violation

In case of a violation of the health guidelines, fines and penalties are imposed on students.

• First violation - a fine of Rs. 10,000
• Second violation – suspension for the semester including hostel accommodation (if availing)

For health-related questions, and support kindly email at anam.sarfraz@lums.edu.pk.

LUMS Medical Center

In March 2018, LUMS signed an MOU with National Hospital and Medical Centre (NHMC) to develop and operate a “Health and Wellness Centre” on the University’s premises for the provision of emergency medical services to all members of the LUMS community. Later, it was renamed as “Medical Center”.

It comprises of the following exclusive features:

• Operates 24x7x365 to ensure round-the-clock medical care for the entire community
• Four-bed mini unit to cater for regular emergencies
• 24x7x365 professional doctor’s team from National Hospital & Medical Center is available
• Presence of professional male and female nursing staff
• Maintain digital record of the medical prescriptions through the Health Information Management System (HIMS)
• Medical Center is not equipped to handle serious medical conditions such as heart disorders, epilepsy, broken bones, brain hemorrhages, and similar emergencies. The primary purpose of the center is to provide medical treatment for general ailments, with a particular focus on walk-in patients. In case of severe medical emergency, only one intervention is performed, and the patient is immediately sent to the nearby hospital

Contact Numbers:

You can contact LUMS Medical Center by using following information:

• For external dialing: 042 3560 8499-8500 (direct number)
• For internal dialing: 1111 or by dialing the LUMS external number, 042 3560 8000, and then dialing the required extension

Dear LUMS Community,

We ask you to carefully read this communique fully and should you have any questions, feel encouraged to contact us. With the alarming rise of COVID-19 cases on campus, the following steps are being implemented immediately to reduce the spread of the virus. 

• Day scholar access is limited to students who have in-person classes.
• The curfew hours from 9.00 pm to 8.00 am, are being imposed on hostel students to limit off-campus access (w.e.f. 25.01.2022)
• Staff are expected to work on campus on a rotational basis as directed by their respective Heads, Directors and Deans.  

With the dramatic rise of 50 cases in just one week, we are facing a hard constraint with isolation and quarantine facilities that are reaching full capacity. In order for the university to continue accommodating isolation rooms for those who test positive, we will no longer offer quarantine facilities.  Instead, those who were in close contact with someone who was COVID-positive, will receive an email to immediately visit the medical center for evaluation. They will have to continue to get daily check-ups for the following three days. Based on the doctor’s evaluation on any single day, we will move those starting to become symptomatic or testing COVID-positive to the isolation facilities, while the rest must continue to self-monitor their symptoms, and visit the medical center if symptoms surface later on. They will however, no longer be sent in a  quarantine room. This is the only way left to accommodate covid positive cases in isolation rooms.

We also ask everyone to strictly observe covid protocols and pay special attention to the following:

• As before, if you have ANY symptoms, ask to be seen by someone at the Medical clinic.
• If your test is covid positive, inform the health and safety committee right away.  Please write to (health.safety@lums.edu.pk).  In your email, kindly identify all individuals you had close contact with. Note, close contact means 15 minutes of sustained contact in close proximity (< 6 ft or 2m).
• Once you are in isolation, the doctor will monitor you and as the symptoms subside, you will be asked to leave.  This can take from 5 to 10 days.

There are repeated reports of several members of the community who are not masking nor distancing.  Carrying drinks and food aren’t good excuses to avoid masking. Abiding by SOPs will help to ensure the campus stays open. We will be increasing monitoring and strictly enforcing SOPs.

While we hope that we rise to the challenge and overcome this wave we need to understand, what failing to do so would mean. If current trends continue, we would soon be forced to move to fully online instruction, and students could be required to stay in their rooms, except to get food or go for testing.  If that isn’t successful all students will have to return to their permanent homes. Let’s do everything we can together to avoid this last resort.

Now is the time to ensure full compliance of SOPs yourselves as well as actively urging your peers to do so as well. 

Please stay safe and take extra care. 
Senior Management, Deans, Provost, and VC Office

P.S. Based on current best practices, some additional recommendations to minimize the risk of infection are:

• Keep good oral hygiene by using solutions such as the Betadine antiseptic oral rinse (available in Pakistan with the name of “Pyodine gargle & mouth wash”) as recommended by one of the top medical journals in the world (JAMA), to inactivate the build-up of the virus1  
• Use the more effective N95 or KN95 instead of surgical masks.
• https://journalotohns.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40463-020-00474-x 

Dear Students,

In the past three days we have had 5 cases of students/staff test positive for COVID-19 on campus. This includes 2 resident students, one-day student in addition to 2 members of staff. There are over ten students in quarantine in the hostels identified as close contacts of these students.  We wish a complete and speedy recovery to each one of these individuals.

If you have been diagnosed with COVID or have been in touch with someone who has been diagnosed recently please follow the isolation/quarantine procedures as laid out in the attachment. If you are feeling unwell and are on-campus we encourage you to visit the Medical Center to get examined by the doctor on-duty.

Any outbreak of the highly contagious delta variant will result in a complete closure of the hostels. Taking precautions is the best defense against Covid-19, so please ensure that you wear a mask and maintain social distance at all times.

The vigilance team has started to impose fines for COVID-19, smoking and littering violations.   

• First Violation: 5,000/- Rupees
• Second Violation: 10,000/- Rupees 
• Third Violation: Suspension from the semester 

You have been warned.

LUMS COVID-19 Incident Protocol

Regards,

Health & Safety Team 

Dear LUMS’ Community,

Welcome back! It is delightful to see the campus come to life with more students, staff and faculty. This message is a reminder that as we resume in-person interactions, we must be cautious in dealing with the rise of new Covid variants. Even if you are fully vaccinated, there is still a high risk. There have been several recent cases where fully vaccinated people have got Covid, and often these cases have not been mild. It is also well known that people who have had Covid are being reinfected.

The only way we can continue in-person interaction this semester is through vigilance in observing protocols that will mitigate risk of transmission of infection in our community. We are all responsible to ensure that we are not engaging in practices that endanger other people.

If you have any COVID-like symptoms you need to stay away from other people and visit Medical Center immediately.  Please see the attached document on COVID SoPs to find out what you must do if you are symptomatic or test positive for COVID. If you test positive, you must also inform Health and Safety and isolate (health.safety@lums.edu.pk). Wilfully ignoring the symptoms because you do not want to miss teaching or attending classes or would like the chance to socialize is unethical and constitutes a violation of our COVID SOPs. The OSA and individual instructors are all prepared to accommodate students who have to miss classes due to covid related quarantine or caution. These behaviours also jeopardize our efforts to maintain the possibility of keeping LUMS open.

Many students, faculty and staff are observing SoPs and maintaining social distance, wearing masks, smoking only in designated areas, and not littering. However, some are not consistently following these rules. The rules will have to be strictly observed by anyone on campus.  Anyone who violates the SoPs on COVID, smoking and littering will be fined 5,000 rupees.  A second violation will result in doubling the fine and a third violation will result in suspension for the semester. 

Please do watch this video put together by our advancement office on COVID SoPs.

LUMS COVID-19 Incident Protocol
SOPs for Resident Students
SOPs for Faculty. Staff, and Day Students

The Senior Administration 
Deans, Provosts and VC Offices

Dear Students, 

As improved access to vaccination continues, the University is taking all measures possible to significantly increase in-class instruction. In addition, we are planning for full occupancy in our campus hostels this Fall for all fully vaccinated returning students. This note provides an update on the vaccination efforts, the work underway to provide the maximum number of ventilated in-person classes and the need to continue COVID-compliance inside the campus.
 
Vaccination Efforts
Since the government made vaccination available for individuals 18 years and older, we recently held a vaccination camp. Currently, 82% of faculty and 81% of staff have been vaccinated. In addition, based on a recent survey, 36% of the students are partially vaccinated and 12% are fully vaccinated.  We are actively working with the Punjab public health authorities to continue holding these camps on campus. Similarly, all students who have been newly admitted to LUMS are being asked to get vaccinated as soon as possible. 
 
As vaccinations are mandatory, your vaccination status will be embedded in your Smart Card which will allow you access into the campus, the library, the sports complex, labs, hostels, offices, etc. We strongly encourage you to submit your vaccination status by early August which may allow you access to the campus before the semester begins. All day-scholars will have full access to the campus provided they are fully vaccinated. We are also collecting data on how many students are currently vaccinated and working with projections of how many will have received one or more vaccination by the end of August.  
 
COVID-Compliance
While a majority of vaccinated people decreases the risks posed by COVID-19 considerably, it does not eliminate the risk to everyone that comes from those who have not been vaccinated. It is realistic for us to anticipate that, by the Fall, not everyone will be vaccinated; thus, holding all in-person classes will pose significant risks of spreading the virus. There is also the presence of the new Delta variant which at this time might result in another spike in COVID cases. The university will therefore continue to be COVID-compliant until everyone is vaccinated, which we expect will be fully completed sometime this fall.
 
With the stated goal of having the maximum number of in-person classes this Fall, the following measures are being implemented:

• The current classroom occupancy rate is being increased from 35% to 50%. 

• By adding evening class sessions, the daily teaching schedule is expanded which provides students with added flexibility in their schedules to take more in-person classes.

• Classes with large enrollments will be held online to free up spaces for more in-person classes.

• Three additional outdoor classrooms are being added to the two existing ones. All 5 outdoor classes will have internet access, fans and lighting for use in the evenings.

• The Sports Complex is also being reconfigured for large in-person classes with appropriate ventilation. The Sports Complex will include a schedule for sporting activities which we will share when this is finalized.

Appropriate COVID-19 ventilation means that a classroom has windows allowing for cross-ventilation. Where possible, windows have been installed, but this is not possible in every classroom on campus for structural reasons. All classroom participants must wear masks and practice social distancing. A full inventory of COVID-compliant classrooms is being used by the RO’s office to determine scheduling for the Fall semester. With these steps, the majority of classes are expected to be in-person. 
 
Variants and Observing SoPs
Since March, 2020, the need for continued vigilance is an important lesson that we have learned.  During the past year, as COVID conditions improved and deteriorated, the government has lurched back and forth on partially opening, closing and then re-opening school and university campuses. A fourth wave is already prevalent in some of our neighboring countries as well as in some developed countries which have significantly higher vaccinated populations. Variants cannot be ignored nor underestimated.   We continue to monitor various institutional responses in these regions so that we are prepared for worst case scenarios. Continued vigilance in observing SoPs during the Summer and Fall will provide significant protection to our community which is why we all will have to continue to wear masks in public and observe social distancing.
 
Despite the risks that need to be mitigated if things turn for the worse, conditions might still improve as more people get vaccinated. If these conditions actually improve, we aim to have all classrooms with full capacity and a back-to-normal operation by the Spring term. 
 
We should take pride that our students, faculty and staff who have shown tremendous resilience to overcome the constraints imposed by the pandemic and demonstrated great care to those who remain vulnerable. We will work closely with the Student Council and continue to provide updates this summer. We are also eager to welcome you back for Orientation Week. An exciting program that is being planned and will be announced in the coming weeks. 
 
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
 
Sincerely,
 
The Senior Administration 
Deans, Provosts and VC Offices

Dear LUMS Community,
 
As we were about to release the new vaccination policy, we heard the possibility followed by the wonderful news yesterday that the government has extended vaccinations that would apply to the vast majority of our students – a great step forward.

Please find attached the LUMS COVID-19 Vaccination Policy – a necessary step towards safely opening the campus this fall. The Vaccination Program has two important goals: (1)To ensure all staff and faculty are vaccinated by August 31st, 2021 (see 3.1 below) and (2) To encourage and facilitate vaccinations for as many students as possible and support students on financial aid by partially or fully reimbursing the cost of the vaccine. 

All faculty, staff and students are required to submit their NADRA immunization certificate to HR by the 31st of August 2021.  If you have underlying medical conditions and have been advised by a doctor to avoid getting a COVID-19 vaccination, you must have your doctor sign and stamp the COVID-19 Vaccination Exemption Form and submit directly to HR (hrdmessage@lums.edu.pk). 

Wishing you the best to stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Arshad
 

We are well into the 3rd wave with over 4,500 new COVID cases reported each day for the first time since July, 2020. Lahore has an astounding positivity rate of over 20%.  In the past few weeks alone there have been more COVID cases among our on-campus and off-campus student body than any other time since the pandemic began. This is an alarming indicator that COVID is spreading fast in our LUMS community. This also comes with growing reports of people engaging in risky behaviour by not following simple SOPs both on and off campus.  
 
The recent announcement by the government reaffirms that all classes will continue to take place on-line until the 11th of April 2021. In view of the current situation and recommendations from the Healthy and Safety Committee it has been decided that:

1. All classes till the remainder of the term will continue online.  
2. For the next two weeks (29th March - 11th April 2021) hostel students will not be allowed to go in and out of campus. Currently over 500 hostel students are going in and out of campus each day between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm.  As the university takes responsibility to ensure the safety of hostel students and other members of our community,  this is a necessary step.
3. The Superstore will remain open for the rest of the semester and you are encouraged to use the campus facilities to stay healthy.
4. If a Hostel student taking online classes wants to go home for the rest of the semester,  their remaining hostel fees will be refunded.

We are at a crossroads. If current trends continue, the unfortunate reality is that LUMS may have to impose a stricter lockdown like last year, which would mean all students would be asked to return back to their permanent homes – an action that no one wants to see happen.

Now is the time for everyone to recommit themselves not only to fully comply with the SOPs but also to actively urge your peers to do so as well. We are all counting on you.

Sincerely,
Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor
Farhat Haq, Provost
Tariq Jadoon, Vice-Provost
Adnan Khan, Dean OSA
 
 

The second wave is a powerful reminder that we must remain vigilant. There is talk of a third wave in January but the truth is, nobody really knows. The government’s announcement to close all educational institutions from Nov 26 through Jan 10, fortunately has little impact on our plans to open the campus in the spring.  The upcoming exam period and schedule will not be affected. However, to comply with official directives, the following will take effect immediately:
 

1. Critical faculty, staff and students as determined by various Schools, Centers, and other Administrative Units in the university will be allowed access to the campus.
2. Hostels will remain open to current residents who wish to stay. 
3. Certain graduate students will continue to access labs.
4. The remaining EMBA/MBA classes will all be conducted online.
5. Essential services including food, provisions, health and other facilities will be open as required.
6. The campus will no longer be accessible to day scholars from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm as it is officially closed.
7. Visitation policies for dorms will be revised and regulated. 

 
You are also invited to join LUMS Live at 4:00 pm tomorrow where we can discuss other issues and respond to your questions. Join us here
 
We intend to continue preparing the campus to be Covid-19 compliant and plan to open on January 18th. This has included stress testing health and safety measures, the implementation of SOP’s, outdoor classes, and much more. While most courses will be offered online, if permitted, we will be able to offer several in-person classes in SDSB and SSE. While we are making plans to ensure enough spaces are available for residency in the spring, we may not be able to accommodate everyone if restrictions are imposed.  We will continue to closely monitor the situation and comply with directives as we have been doing all along.
 
To all of you, your family members and loved ones who aren’t well, we send you our heartfelt prayers for your safety and good health.  Thank you for doing your best under the circumstances, for taking care of others and supporting those who are most vulnerable. 
 
If you find that you are feeling isolating or distressed, please reach out and interact with your peers, faculty and staff.  Feel encouraged to get involved in activities and virtual societies that LUMS is offering during this time and take advantage of the services that have been made available for your health and safety.
 
Thanks again for your outstanding resolve and commitment to LUMS as we move forward. 

Best wishes 
 
The Vice Chancellor and Provost offices, Deans, and Administration
 
 

We hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe.

We are pleased to announce that starting from Monday, November 16th, you will be allowed access to the campus from 8am to 8pm every day. You will be required to card in as well as card out. Failure to do so will lead in revocation of campus access privileges for the semester.

Sports Wellness & Recreation has organized several programs you can sign up for and more details will follow.  We also encourage you to take advantage of the campus facilities including the library and computer labs. 

It is required that you read the attached COVID-related SOPs and strictly follow the protocols for masking, distancing, and hygiene.  A team of monitors has been assigned to ensure that the campus community is doing its part to keep everyone safe. We also expect you to self-monitor and encourage your peers to follow the protocols. Given the seriousness of infection and contagion, non-compliance will result in fines and penalties. Your efforts to follow these SOPs successfully will go a long way in making it possible for us to welcome everyone back in January. 

Please note, smoking is no longer allowed on campus except in designated smoking stations, the details, and SOPs of which will be communicated soon. Similarly, to address the problem of littering on campus we are devising new rules to ensure cleaner spaces for everyone.

As you know, the gradual opening of the campus this Fall is helping us to determine whether we can safely fully open this Spring. 

We are looking forward to seeing you soon!
 
Take care,
 
Adnan Khan,
Dean of Students 
 

We are continuing to monitor and minimize the health and safety risks to reopen the campus. Three weeks have passed since we invited the first group of students who required connectivity to return to campus. There is much we have learned from implementing new SOP’s and feedback from students living here.  We are adjusting our policy to allow students to go off campus during the day but everyone must return by 8pm.
 
This additional flexibility also comes with greater responsibility for students, since going off-campus increases the risk of exposure to COVID-19. It also means, that should any student become sick with COVID, they will have to leave the campus until they have fully recovered. The protocols for reporting, getting help from the campus medical clinic, getting tested, etc., are elaborated in the SOP’s which all campus residents must read and follow. 
 
We will be inviting the second group of students to live on campus early next week as we endeavour to complete necessary preparations (exact move-in dates to follow).  We have increased the size of this second group. It will include the third group that was originally planned to return later in the semester. We hope this will make for a smoother transition for everyone.
 
Finally, we want to reaffirm our intention to open the campus in the spring. Barring a second wave, if all campus residents continue to mask, distance and maintain proper hygiene and if we can avoid a COVID outbreak on campus this term, we will welcome everyone in the spring semester. While most of us would like classroom instruction to fully resume at that time, we are also continuing to explore options for hybrid and online learning. 
 
Most of all, we want to take this opportunity to thank the students who have been very patient on campus, and the staff that have been working around the clock to ensure that the campus is COVID-compliant and that resources are mobilized to make your transition back as seamless as possible. We also want to thank you for your extraordinary patience, and resilience to overcome multiple challenges that have come your way. 
 
We will continue to keep you update as the situation on campus evolves. 
 
Thank you!
 
Best wishes, take extra care
 
Farhat Haq, Provost
Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor

A townhall meeting was held on October 3, where more than 95 students invited to live on campus during the first phase of the partial reopening, shared their experiences with the senior management of LUMS. 

Representing the University were Vice Chancellor, Dr. Arshad Ahmad; Provost, Dr. Farhat Haq; Vice Provost, Dr. Tariq Jadoon; Professor of Practice of Public Health and Director Health and Safety at LUMS, Dr. Samia Altaf; Dean, Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Ali Khan, and Dean Office of Student Affairs, Dr. Adnan Khan, who listened to the queries and concerns of the students, and discussed ways in which the students could be made more comfortable on campus.  

Here are some key takeaways from the discussion: 

‘Our goal is to have the same rules for everyone on campus.’ 
Dr. Arshad Ahmad said that during the trial period the management tried to implement some SOPs to see if they actually work not just for the students on campus, but for everyone residing at the university. “We are mindful and we do know that there appear to be different rules for different people here. Our goal is to have the same rules for everyone on campus and that is the direction we are going in. That includes students, faculty and staff as well as any visitors.” 

He also explained that this informal discussion would help the LUMS management support the needs and requests of the students on campus, as well as be better prepared for the next cohort. “We are putting pieces together from this experience to determine whether we can allow more mobility, including work, that goes beyond the campus. There are many data points to pick up that will determine the decision. The good news is that we will be deciding soon.”  

‘The idea is to have one more phase instead of two.’
Dr. Samia Altaf gave an overview of the situation on campus. “We have set up many new systems and procedures, and mobilised our resources even in these constrained times. In the past two weeks or so, we have had just one positive case of COVID-19. That case and all its contacts were traced and managed meticulously. We also had three suspected cases, but after following set protocols and having them isolated and tested, we found out that they were COVID negative, which was a huge relief.” 

Keeping in mind this data, Dr. Tariq Jadoon explained that though initially the plan was to have phase two and three, “We are thinking about slightly modifying our SOPs. Based upon the experiences we have had so far, the idea is to have one more phase instead of two in approximately 10-15 days and bring in 200 odd students to campus.” 
Dr. Adnan Khan reiterated that the data collected from phase one is promising and that very soon in phase two, more students would be invited on campus. 

‘Let the Deans know if you have issues with the courses.’
Dr. Ali Khan also encouraged the students to get in touch with the Deans of their respective schools if they face problems regarding their academics. “Let the Deans know if you have issues with the courses. It is incumbent upon us to look into the issue. Feedback is essential at this point.”

Dr. Farhat Haq told the students that the frustration they feel about online learning is something the whole community is feeling. “Faculty members are also concerned and I would encourage you to reach out to the Dean with your complaints if you are feeling that you are not being heard.”

The campus has counselling and psychological services for students to access.
In response to concerns raised by students regarding mental health, Dr. Samia Altaf highlighted different ways to tackle this issue. She said that the campus has counselling and psychological services for students, which you can access from 9 am to 5 pm directly, and after 5 pm there is a possibility to connect through phone or other means. 

“I am also offering that anytime students on campus can gather together 6-8 people in one place at one time for 40 minutes, I am happy to come and we can have a conversation about what is causing us stress. We can meet outside under a tree, six feet away from each other, while all of us are wearing masks and we can talk about strategies to relieve your stress.”

Many students also raised concerns about how they were suffering from poor health due to online classes. 
Dr. Altaf agreed that it is inevitable one feels anxiety, which in turn affects the physiological state. “This is why I have repeatedly stressed that physical activity and fresh air are absolutely essential every day.”

‘Go for a walk, be out in the open, get some exercise.’
Dr. Ali Khan reiterated the necessity for the students to factor in physical activity in to their everyday lives. 
He encouraged students to send in suggestions on how more outdoor activities could be introduced while keeping each other safe. Dr. Khan was most appreciative to a student’s suggestion that bicycles should be made available on campus and was keen to look into the matter and provide them for students. 

In response to a few questions, Dr. Adnan Khan clarified that outdoor activities are encouraged as long as students did not cluster or come into close contact with each other.

The students appreciated the efforts by the LUMS management to hear their experiences and being open to suggestions while ensuring the health of the entire community is taken care of. Dr. Ahmad encouraged all the students to take the survey as feedback was imperative for LUMS to make more informed decisions with regards to the students. 

Please find attached the latest versions of following important guiding documents prepared by the Health and Safety Committee:

- LUMS COVID Strategy
- SOPs