COVID-19 Update for Students – 24 March

As the situation with COVID-19 continues to develop we will do our utmost to keep you updated in relation to university services and NHS advice.

New restrictions

You will have seen in the Prime Minister’s press conference yesterday evening that he has taken the decision to order an immediate closure of all but essential services such as health, pharmacies and food stores and to ban gatherings of more than two people in public (other than those you directly live with).

Everyone living in Britain has been told to stay at home and only leave the house for:

  • shopping for necessities;
  • one form of exercise a day (and then only on your own or with other members of your immediate household);
  • any medical need;
  • travelling to and from work, where absolutely necessary.

Please do follow these new requirements, together with advice on no more private gatherings outside those you immediately live with, both for your own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others.

Campus facilities and services

As a result of this announcement, we will also take further measures to keep our on-campus community safe. As you will know, we have been reducing the number of services available on our Liverpool campus over the last few weeks in order to protect both our students and staff whilst ensuring you have access to facilities and colleagues wherever possible. Meanwhile, the London campus has completely closed.

Given the government’s latest advice, we now need to further reduce the services available at Liverpool.

To be clear, as a university it is neither possible nor appropriate for us to close fully. Whilst we must now reduce the services we offer, our halls of residence will continue to operate and staff will be there to support those of you who need to stay with us, although we may put additional measures in place for everyone’s safety.

To be clear though, unless you need to stay in University accommodation because you are unable to travel home or you have particular personal reasons for needing to stay, we would encourage you to return home. This is both because it may become more difficult for you to return home if you do not do so in the coming couple of days and because we are now in conversations with the NHS to empty some of our halls of residence in order that they can accommodate front-line healthcare staff.

Outside halls of residence, all other buildings and a number of our services will now close and, where possible, services will move entirely online. The Vine Court catering facility and IT labs will close with immediate effect. Student advice and welfare services will move to a fully online and telephone service and details of this can be found here.

Big White Wall support

We appreciate this is a worrying time for many and would like to take this opportunity to remind you that you can also access the Big White Wall 24 hours a day if you need support. They have uploaded content specifically around looking after yourself during the COVID-19 outbreak which is available here.