The latest updates on City's response to Coronavirus.
Latest update 24/02/2022
The UK Government has announced a new plan for living with Covid-19 in England, with corresponding Higher Education guidance from the Department for Education. The key elements of the plan are:
- Staff and students in most education and childcare settings are no longer required to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing.
- Individuals are no longer legally required to self-isolate after a positive Covid-19 test. However, people who test positive are still advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least five full days and then continue to follow the guidance until they have received two negative test results on consecutive days.
- Fully vaccinated close contacts of confirmed cases are no longer required to test daily for seven days. Unvaccinated close contacts of confirmed cases are no longer required to self-isolate.
- The Government will end routine contact tracing and contacts will no longer be required to self-isolate or advised to take daily tests.
From Friday 1st April 2022
- Free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England will no longer be provided.
- The Government will update guidance setting out the ongoing steps that people with Covid-19 should take to minimise contact with other people.
- The current guidance on voluntary COVID-status certification in domestic settings will be removed and as will the recommendation for certain venues to use the NHS COVID Pass.
How we will keep our campus safe
The health, safety and wellbeing of our community remains City’s priority.
We will continue to implement a number of measures to ensure our campus is a safe environment for work and study:
- Ventilation – Air handling units (in City owned premises and in keeping with HSE guidance) are switched to fresh air (no recirculated air); where natural ventilation exists the windows are to be open. We will continue to keep our Ventilation Plan under review and in line with DfE guidance.
- Our enhanced cleaning programme continues and cleaning products are available for colleagues to wipe down surfaces before and after use.
- We will be reviewing and updating our Risk Assessments in light of latest guidance, and will continue to consult with our Local Public Health team.
- We will work with Local Authorities to ensure our Outbreak Plan is up to date.
- Hand sanitisation stations will remain in place on campus. Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day.
- We encourage all members of our community to book their Covid-19 vaccination and booster dose
What you need to do when you are on campus
- In line with Government guidance, we suggest that you continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
- Please respect other members of our community’s decision to wear a face covering.
- Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day.
- Stay at home if unwell – if you feel unwell but do not have Covid-19 symptoms, or your Covid-19 test is negative, you may still have an illness which could be passed on to other people.
In England, the Covid-19 vaccine and booster is now being offered to all people who are aged 18 and over. You can find more information and book your appointment online.
We will update this page and contact staff and students directly via email as and when there are any additional changes.