Following the University’s decision to continue with limited face-to-face teaching until at least Friday, 6 November, it is extremely encouraging to see that numbers of COVID-19 cases in Liverpool are plateauing, thanks in part to the efforts of our University community. Student cases at universities which started their semesters earlier then us have fallen sharply and our numbers are now starting to follow this trend.
Although these are positive indicators, it is important now to maintain our efforts and to keep taking precautions to keep yourself and others safe. By continuing to work together, we hope to be able to reintroduce more face-to-face teaching for everyone as soon as it is safe to do so.
Our current teaching arrangements will continue to be reviewed on a weekly basis and we will keep students informed. We currently expect that next week we will take a decision on what will happen for the rest of this term up to the Christmas break.
Your responsibilities
The fight against COVID-19 involves every person in our city, our region and beyond. As a University, we have been very clear in our expectations, and thousands of you have already signed up to our Community Pledge, committing to doing all you can to keep everyone safe. As previously mentioned, where we have evidence of students contravening restrictions, we must act in the best interests of our community, though these are few and far between.
Alongside the measures we have introduced to our campus and in halls of residence, we are also reliant on every member of our community staying up to date with and adhering to the latest guidance. From wearing a face covering, unless you are exempt, to practising good hygiene and social distancing, to not mixing with others outside your household, there are some simple, but really important steps each of us can take to keep everyone safe.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, however mild, you should book a test at the University’s COVID test centre on campus. We are now also offering testing at Greenbank Student Village. We have increased capacity within our testing facility including same day appointments, where available. Further information and links to book can be found on our COVID Safety web hub.
If you are required to self-isolate, you will be contacted by either the University’s COVID Contact Tracing Team, or the NHS Contact Tracing Team, with further instructions. At the start and end of your self-isolation period please remember to update Liverpool Life, this will allow us to continue to send you relevant information and make sure the correct support is made available to you. Further details about what to do if you have symptoms, and self-isolation can be found on our COVID Safety web hub.
Our commitment to you – support available
We know that many of our students have already spent a period self-isolating and some are presently doing so, and would like to extend thanks and appreciation to you. We know that this is a difficult time, particularly for any students who have tested positive for COVID-19, or students required to self-isolate, but this is an absolute critical step in defending our community against the spread of infection.
It has always been the University’s commitment to you, that our response to the pandemic is guided first and foremost by the goal of helping you protect your overall wellbeing. We have introduced measures to ensure our campus is covid-secure, and although we have adapted our teaching provision, every effort has been made to make sure our revised plans will not impact your ability to meet programme learning outcomes.
Please remember that there is also a wide range of support services available to you including mental health, wellbeing and counselling services, where we are currently investing in additional resource to increase capacity.
If you are self-isolating, make sure you continue to dedicate time to your personal and mental wellbeing. Alongside making use of the services listed above, we recommend trying out some of the virtual events and activities available here.
Further information
Please keep doing the right thing and play your part in keeping everyone – especially those who are most vulnerable – safe in our city. For the latest advice and guidance, please check our safety hub, student news and the university’s social media channels.