We have recently been made aware of a small number of students who have tested positive for Covid-19. All are self-isolating, along with their flatmates where relevant. NHS Test and Trace have identified a handful of close contacts outside their households and are in touch with nearly all of them, who are also self-isolating.
Halls residents were advised of one of these cases last week and the new ones are linked. We are continuing to monitor the situation, working closely with Public Health England.
We have already planned carefully for the time when Covid-19 would return to our community and we are confident that we have done all we can to minimise the risk of transmission.It is essential that everyone now plays their part, too, in reducing this risk.
This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice. Please be reassured that for most people coronavirus will be a mild illness.
St George’s remains open and, providing you are well and have not been advised you were a contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19, meaning you need to self-isolate, you can continue with plans to attend the University.
Symptoms of Covid-19
The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are recent onset of any of:
- A new continuous cough
- A high temperature
- A loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
If you or anyone in your household does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from the NHS by calling 111 or on the NHS website.
What to do if you develop symptoms of Covid-19, or you live with someone with symptoms
If you develop symptoms of Covid-19,you must self-isolate immediately, by staying in your home or your halls flat, and arrange a test through the government website or by calling 119. This flow chart sets out what to do.
You will need to inform Student Services at coronavirusconcern@sgul.ac.uk, so they can take necessary actions and support you in self-isolating.
If you are a student on clinical placement, you will also need to contact Occupational Health on 020 8725 1661, as well your placement provider if you develop symptoms.
Unless you receive a negative test result, all other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house or flat for 14 days.
The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the household became ill.
Household members should not go to university, work, school or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home.
Household members staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.
If possible, vulnerable individuals (such as those with underlying health conditions) should be moved elsewhere for the duration of the isolation period. If you live in Horton Halls, you can discuss how to do so with Student Services.
Further information on household isolation.
What to do if you are informed a contact has tested positively for Covid-19
If you have been informed that you are a contact of a person who has had a positive test result for Covid-19, you must self-isolate for 14 days from the date of your last contact with them. You are at risk of developing Covid-19 for the next 14 days. Since we now know that people can become infectious up to two days before symptoms begin, you could spread the disease to others if you do not go into self-isolation. Further guidance can be found here.
How to stop Covid-19 spreading
As shared with all students last week, there are steps we can all take to minimise the risk of transmitting coronavirus.
- Wash your hands with soap and water or hand gel frequently and whenever leaving any space on campus.
- Wear face coverings in all common parts of the University, including in the main foyers, The Street, common rooms, the Library and the Halls of Residence (but not in individual flats).
- Keep your distance, staying at least two metres apart from others outside your household, or, if that's not possible in classes, offices or elsewhere, one metre apart with mitigation e.g. face coverings or screens.
- Cover coughs or sneezes using a tissue or your elbow, put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards.
- Use spaces safely, following the one-way systems, tapping your ID card whenever you can so there’s a record of your movements around campus and wiping desks and computers before you use them in common areas such as in the Library.
- Stay apart, not gathering socially with more than six people in line with the legal requirements.
- Note that this does not apply to meetings of a single household group which is more than six people.
- Keep informed of any changes to guidance, checking your emails regularly for alerts from the University.
- Remind and respect others, prompting others to follow the rules to keep us all safe, but being aware that some people are exempt from requirements to wear a face covering. Do not take offence if you receive a reminder yourself.
Further information about how the University has prepared for the next phase of the pandemic are is available on our website.
I thank you for the actions you are taking in your everyday lives to take care of yourself and show care to others during this time.
With my warmest wishes,
Professor Jenny Higham
Principal