The government has announced changes to COVID-19 guidelines in England in light of the new Omicron variant of concern. From today:
- Face coverings are now mandatory in shops and on public transport, unless you are medically exempt.
- Anyone arriving in the UK must take a PCR test within 48 hours of arrival and self-isolate until they have received a negative result.
- Some countries have now been added to the red list
- All close contacts of a suspected Omicron case must self-isolate for 10 days regardless of vaccination status.
We know this is a concerning time for many of our colleagues who may have questions about how some of these measures affect them.
Following the government announcement, it is now compulsory to wear face coverings on UniLink buses, and in the SUSU shop. We continue to require the wearing of face coverings when moving around inside our buildings or in crowded areas.
We recently announced the increased allowance of domestic leave from four to 10 days to help support our staff. This is to help support our colleagues who may need additional time off due to caring responsibilities. If you test positive or need to self-isolate, please ensure you fill out the reporting form.
The gov.uk pages have been updated with the latest international travel guidance, which has been reflected in our University travel guidance.
Students who are required to self-isolate should complete the self-isolation form, after which they receive a wellbeing call from the Student Hub team who can help students understand the support available, from academic to access to food/drink.
Booster jabs will shortly be available for all over 18’s, with the gap between doses reduced to three months, and can be booked through the NHS website. We encourage all our staff and students to get their vaccinations and boosters as soon as they can.
We are also offering twice weekly testing for staff and students.
Whilst cases remain low within our University community, it is important that we all take responsibility for continuing to keep ourselves and others safe. Find out more on our Campus Life page.
