Coronavirus – general information and guidance for members
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China. The outbreak has been labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.
The NHS website has more information about how coronavirus is spread and answers common questions about the virus. On Thursday 12 March, COBRA decided that the UK move to the ‘delay’ stage of the responce and this is reflected in our updated guidence.
This page has been set up to bring together the different pieces of advice available for institutions and to provide a checklist. Links are included where possible to enable further reading. The Office for Students have also produced some general guidance, which we advise you also refer to.
This page contains:
- General advice for institutions and GuildHE activity
- Checklist (UPDATED)
- Advice to those with symptoms
- Self-Isolation Guidance;
- Travel guidance for the education sector
- Information on travel insurance implications
- Immigration guidance
- Useful contacts
General advice for institutions and GuildHE activity
This is clearly an ongoing and evolving situation that is obviously of great concern to many in the sector. It is recommended that you take note of the different areas of guidance covered below and take urgent steps to raise awareness amongst staff and students. It is also recommended that you consult our checklist and ensure that your institution’s current response mechanisms are functional.
GuildHE is meeting regurly with collegues from different government departments and are part of the sector stakeholder group. As such, we will be updating this page freqently and sending out regular updates. There has not been any formal notification, as of yet, that universities and colleges might be asked to close for any period of time, though this is now a distinct possibility. It would, therefore, be prudent to consider what this could mean for your institution and take steps that might help to alleviate possible disruption.
Checklist
Listed below are ten points that we advise you to consider:
1. Have you set up a response group and is it meeting regularly? Does it include a student representative?
2. Do students and staff know who to contact if they are worried about an outbreak?
3. Have you shared the Public Health Information advice and information so that it is readily available to students and staff? Are you providing any information, yet, to parents?
4. Have you reviewed your Business Continuity Plan in light of the situation to consider institutional responses to different scenarios?
5. Have you considered your crisis communications plan and ensured that it is fully up-to-date?
6. Are you monitoring possible increases in harassment of particular groups and communicating that any form of harassment of other students or staff will not be tolerated.
7. Have you considered the opportunities to deliver education or services online in the event of more significant disruption?
8. Have you considered support – such as halls accommodation – in the event of students not being able to return home for the holidays?
9. Are you liaising with your franchise and validation partners to discuss decision-making processes such as temporarily closing provision, moving examinations and the impact on academic regulations?
10. Have you developed an institutional policy relating to international travel?
Advice to those with symptoms
Stay at home for 7 days if you have either:
- a high temperature
- a new continuous cough
This will help to protect others while you are infectious.
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital, unless necessary.
You do not need to contact NHS 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.
People who are self-isolating with mild symptoms will not be tested.
Self-Isolation Guidance
The NHS has also produced guidance on self-isolation:
Travel guidance for the education sector
This guidance is for students and staff in the education sector planning to travel in the UK or overseas, and for those who are already overseas.
Section 1 of the guidance relates to under 18s and Section 2 covers matter relating to over 18s and specifically covers higher education, including Erasmus+.
Information on travel insurance implications
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has produced information on travel insurance implications following the COVID-19 outbreak.
Press enquiries
If any of your academics have particular relevant expertise and are interested in engaging with the press, please get in touch with dominic.trendall@guildhe.ac.uk.
Immigration guidance
The latest immigration guidance can be found here. At this stage, this remains most relevant in relation to students and staff from China, though this is likely to change in the coming weeks, particularly in light of recent actions taken by the United States.
- Chinese nationals in the UK whose visa has recently expired or is about to expire
- Non-Chinese, non-EEA nationals in the UK normally resident in China
- Chinese nationals in the UK whose leave was granted by Irish authorities (British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)
- Chinese nationals in the UK whose leave was granted by the Crown Dependencies
- Switching to a Tier 2 category in the UK
- British nationals whose passport is at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in China
- Chinese or third-country nationals whose passport is at a Visa Application Centre (VAC)
- Licensed Tier 2, Tier 4 or Tier 5 sponsors: absences due to coronavirus
Useful Contacts:
Coronavirus Immigration Helpline
The helpline will be open from 9am on 18 February 2020
Telephone: 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Email: CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk
Department for Education Helpline
- Phone: 0800 046 8687
- Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
The helpline is open between 0800 and 1800 Monday to Friday.
GuildHE lead
dominic.trendall@guildhe.ac.uk