Dear students
You will be aware from the widespread media commentary that COVID infections are rising again. The key issues are to prevent infections, then to manage your health if you do become infected.
Prevent Infections:
The underlying principles haven’t changed. The best means of prevention are social distancing, wearing masks and clean hands.
We continue to provide hand sanitiser stations on campus. We have spare masks which are available from Reception.
In classes, maintain your distance from each other. If you can’t maintain a 1.5 metre spacing, then you must wear a mask. This is not negotiable.
Please consider that some people may not have the physical reserves to withstand the more extreme results of COVID. We need to regard all our peers and staff as possibly being vulnerable and at risk.
Health if you become Infected
The authorities are quite clear: the best way to protect yourself is to inoculate, and to continue with boosters to maintain your resilience. If you become infected, you must isolate. If you think you have been infected, then test yourself with a swab test (PCR) or Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). Do not come to campus if you are infected, or if you think you may be infected.
We have multiple resources in place to help you to study from home. This includes online lessons. If you are unwell or believe you have missed important on-campus activity, then discuss with your lecturer whether a deferral is justified.
Please respect the “return-to-work”/”return-to-campus” protocol. The isolation period is 7 days, however nobody should be leaving isolation if you are still symptomatic and/or still with fever. Health advisory websites advise that a person is usually no longer contagious 7-10 days after symptom onset – “usually” being the operative word. Basically, nobody should be returning to campus if you still have fever, cough and/or general aches and pains.
We have our student welfare resources available if you are finding the situation is causing you unmanageable stress. We want you to be healthy and successful.
If we can work together, collaboratively and respectfully, then we can make the most of a difficult situation.
Kind regards
John Martin
CEO