Covid-19 FAQs

Student support (UPDATED - 3 JANUARY)

Take a look at the Wellbeing Support for Students page from Student Services to find the support that suits your needs.

What is the University's approach to the 2021/22 academic year?

During the 2021/22 academic year students can expect to receive the great majority of their learning on campus and in-person. The great majority of staff are working on campus.

Staff, students and visitors are encouraged to respect other people's personal space and to maintain an increased distance where possible.

Currently:

• Face-to-face teaching is the norm.
• Campus facilities such as the library, sports facilities, the Students’ Union, cafés and other social spaces are open, with all the appropriate measures in place to help keep you safe.
• Sports, clubs and societies and other activities are operating, giving you every opportunity to engage with student life at Worcester.

Is teaching in person? (NEW - 3 JANUARY)

Face-to-face teaching is the norm and you should attend campus for teaching activities such as lectures, seminars, tutorials, group discussions and other activities, as they form an essential and significant part of your student experience and success. 

A small amount of teaching is taking place online using the latest digital learning technology, as part of our popular blended approach to learning and teaching. Support is available through our Access to Technology programme. 

If you have questions about being on campus you should speak to your course leader or personal academic tutor in the first instance.

Are all facilities open?

All facilities are open as normal.

January examinations (UPDATED - 7 JANUARY)

Examinations are due to take place in person in January at the University Arena unless current UK Government guidance changes. You should therefore prepare to be in attendance for these examinations. The University Arena has excellent mechanical ventilation and in addition we have arranged for large gaps between each desk in the hall.

Lateral flow tests and face coverings

Please take a lateral flow test before attending an examination. You can easily order home kits online or collect them from the reception at the St John’s or City campuses. 

All students will be asked to wear a face covering, unless you are medically exempt, once you enter the building.

If you have Covid symptoms or a positive lateral flow test

If you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or a positive lateral flow test, please do not attend your examination. You should instead immediately self-isolate and, if you have symptoms, arrange a Covid PCR test. 

You will then be given a reassessment opportunity.  You will need to complete a Mitigating Circumstances claim in the usual way and can use a PCR test result or a positive lateral flow test email notification dated on, or shortly before, the date of your exam as evidence. If you do not complete a Mitigating Circumstances form you will still have the opportunity for reassessment but your grade will be capped.

If your lateral flow test result is positive:

• Report the lateral flow test result to the following website www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result (and request the email notification). If you miss an exam due to a positive test, you will need this evidence to claim mitigating circumstances
• Report in the normal way to the University of Worcester on your SOLE page

Your exam timetable

You can view your personalised timetable by logging in to your SOLE page.

Please be aware that you will need to bring your university ID card with you for all exams. You will also need to check your personalised timetable again before the day of your exam as it is vitally important that you are aware of your desk number for each exam session.

If you are entitled to additional support during your exams, you will be contacted individually with details of the arrangements.

If you have any questions regarding examinations after reading the guidance then please do not hesitate to contact the Exams team on exams@worc.ac.uk

Students travelling to England from abroad (UPDATED - 6 JANUARY)

What you must do depends on whether you qualify as fully vaccinated under the rules for travel to England. There are different rules if you have been in a red list country or territory in the 10 days before you arrive in England. Red list rules apply whether you are fully vaccinated or not. At the moment there are no countries on the UK’s red list but you should continue to check the GOV.UK website prior to travelling just in case this guidance changes.

If you are fully vaccinated

If you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, and you will arrive in England after 4am, Sunday 9 January, you can choose to take a lateral flow test instead of a PCR test after you arrive in England.

If you take a lateral flow test and test positive, you will need to self-isolate and take a free confirmatory PCR test.

You must book the test before you travel to England. You can book lateral flow tests from 4am Friday 7 January. You cannot use a lateral flow test until after 4am, Sunday 9 January. Before 4am Sunday 9 January, you must use a PCR test after arrival. To book your test you can use: Find a coronavirus (COVID-19) travel test provider if you're arriving in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note you can also choose to book your Covid test at the airport on the same day of your arrival.

If you arrive in England before 4am, 7 January, you must follow the current rules for fully vaccinated people.

If you are not fully vaccinated

Prior to travelling to England, you must take a Covid-19 test in the 2 days before you travel. You must also book and pay for day 2 and day 8 Covid-19 PCR tests to be taken after you have arrived in England. You must quarantine for 10 full days and take the first test on or before day 2. The second test must be done on or after day 8. The day that you arrive in England is considered day 0. If your day 8 test is negative, you can stop quarantining on whichever is the later:

• day 10 (day 0 is the day you arrive in England)
• when you receive the day 8 test result

For example – if you receive your day 8 negative test result back on day 9, you must continue to quarantine until the end of day 10. If you receive your day 8 negative test result back on day 12, you must quarantine until the end of day 12.

Please see Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for all detailed information. Be mindful that entry rules might change without much warning so keep monitoring the above website for the most up to date information. Additionally, the airline company you will be travelling with, will be sending you all the information you need to be aware of before departing so do carefully read the emails you receive from them.

Face coverings (UPDATED - 6 JANUARY)

In response to the latest government announcement (3 January 2022), all staff and students are now expected to wear a face covering when indoors on campus.

This includes in teaching spaces and at The Hive, where face coverings must be worn at all times – even when seated.  

You may remove your face covering if you are: 

• Medically exempt 
• Eating or drinking  

It is a legal requirement to wear a face covering in the campus shop.

Vaccination

We are strongly recommending all students and staff are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Vaccination offers the best protection against the virus and gives the best chance of returning to the great majority of normal activity on campus. If you aren’t yet full vaccinated, you can book through the NHS:

Book or manage your coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination

If you’d like to find out more about vaccinations, take a look at this short film, where SU Vice President Neve Ricketts puts her questions to a local GP:

Common questions about vaccinations

You do not currently need a vaccination passport to attend campus. Large on-campus events, such as Worcester Wolves matches, may require a passport; further guidance will follow.

A number of vaccination centres are available locally. You can book a vaccination via the NHS online booking service, or attend one of the walk-in centres.

Lateral flow testing (UPDATED - 6 JANUARY)

If you are attending the campus you are recommended to take regular lateral flow tests.

Students and staff are expected to test regularly (we suggest at least twice a week).

You can collect a free lateral flow test from main reception or at the Accommodation Hub at the St. John’s campus.  You can also pick up kits at local collection points, including The Hive Library, across the country or order a lateral flow test online for free delivery to your home. You may be unable to book a delivery slot straight away, but do keep refreshing the site.   

Please do not come onto campus if you feel unwell.

The NHS is strongly encouraging everyone who takes a lateral flow test at home to record their result. You can do that via the government website, and there are instructions and guidance on how to do this in every test kit.

If your lateral flow test result is positive

Under the latest guidance (in effect in England from 11 January), anyone in England who receives a positive lateral flow device (LFD) test result should report their result on gov.uk and must self-isolate immediately, but will not need to take a follow-up PCR test.

This is a temporary measure while Covid-19 rates remain high across the UK. Whilst levels of Covid-19 are high, the vast majority of people with positive LFD results can be confident that they have Covid-19.

Lateral flow tests are taken by people who do not have Covid-19 symptoms. Anyone who develops Covid-19 symptoms should stay at home and self-isolate and take a PCR test. They must self-isolate if they get a positive test result, even if they have had a recent negative lateral flow test – these rules have not changed.

Ventilation

Good ventilation of indoor spaces can help to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

We advise that windows and doors are kept open wherever possible, to ensure that there is good air circulation in and out of buildings.

When using a room, please ensure doors and windows are open fully wide before leaving to ensure a good circulation of air before the room is used again.

Good hygiene and cleaning

We strongly recommend regular and thorough hand washing. Sanitisation stations are available across the campus, including in all main reception areas.

The enhanced cleaning regime will continue to be in place on campus. Cleaning supplies will also be readily available in all office and study spaces for students and staff to use as needed.

Students

If you think you have Covid you should immediately self isolate in your current place of residence and arrange for a PCR test by visiting the NHS website or calling 119.

You should report your absence as soon as possible via your SOLE page.

More information about when to self-isolate and what to do is available on the NHS website.

Staff

If you think you have Covid you should immediately self isolate and arrange for a PCR test by visiting the NHS website or calling 119.

More information about when to self-isolate and what to do is available on the NHS website.

If you have been tested and received a positive result for Covid-19 please report it following your normal departmental process as soon as possible. Your manager will report your absence through the University's covid reporting portal and it will be treated as sickness absence in line with the University’s sickness absence policy.

The University has produced a flowchart and checklist for managers to follow in relation to the reporting and management of any suspected and confirmed staff cases of Covid-19.

What to do if you have a positive lateral flow test (NEW - 6 JANUARY)

Under the latest guidance (in effect in England from 11 January), anyone in England who receives a positive lateral flow device (LFD) test result should report their result on gov.uk and must self-isolate immediately, but will not need to take a follow-up PCR test. Students should report their absence s soon as possible via their SOLE page, and staff should report their absence using their normal departmental processes.

This is a temporary measure while Covid-19 rates remain high across the UK. Whilst levels of Covid-19 are high, the vast majority of people with positive LFD results can be confident that they have Covid-19.

Lateral flow tests are taken by people who do not have Covid-19 symptoms. Anyone who develops Covid-19 symptoms should stay at home and self-isolate and take a PCR test. They must self-isolate if they get a positive test result, even if they have had a recent negative lateral flow test – these rules have not changed.

When to self-isolate

For full details on when to self-isolate, please visit the NHS website.

Students

As always, your first point of contact for support should be the Firstpoint team.

You may also find the following useful:

• The University Counselling and Mental Health Team. Contact Firstpoint if you would like to arrange an appointment.
• SHOUT. This is a 24 hour text line - text SHOUT to 85258 for confidential help and support in a crisis
• NHS online resources
• Student Minds (a mental health charity offering support)
• The University Money Advice Team
• For international student guidance contact the International team on international-experience@worc.ac.uk or 01905 855146.

Staff

If you have detailed question about Covid and the support available to you, please speak to your line manager in the first instance.

You may also find the following useful:

• The University's employee assistance programme. This is accessible free of charge to all University employees.
• Advice on remote working from the University's IT Service.
• Health and wellbeing advice

Overseas travel

For the duration of 2021/22 Semester 1, any University business related overseas travel will be subject to the approval of the Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive. Any overseas travel to a country that is categorised as ‘red list’ under the Government’s traffic light system is suspended.

Staff are also reminded of the need to speak to their line manager before arranging any overseas travel which is not work-related (e.g. for a holiday).