Updated: January 5, 2023
COVID-19 restrictions in the UK have been replaced by public health advice on living with respiratory infections. However, students arriving from China are now subject to new rules issued by the UK government.
Advice for students arriving from China
If you are joining UCA soon and travelling in from China in the next few weeks, then new government instructions apply to you. You will need to provide a negative test no more than two days before you travel – please visit the UK government website for full instructions.
If you’re a current student who has recently returned from China, please act responsibly if you feel unwell, get a test and follow the advice below. Tests can be purchased online, or at a local pharmacy.
Keeping our community safe
There has been a notable increase in the number of people suffering respiratory infections and viruses this winter. As the health and wellbeing of everybody in the UCA community is our priority, therefore we would encourage you to consider the following:
- If you are unwell - The latest advice from UK government is that, if you are feeling unwell, it is best to stay home to prevent spreading germs to others. Try to keep a distance from vulnerable family members or flatmates, stay away from healthcare settings (unless urgent) and if you do need to go out, to wear a face covering.
- Face coverings - The university does not enforce the wearing of face masks but supports anybody who wishes to do so, especially if you aren’t feeling 100% or you feel you might have a cough or cold. In particular, you may wish to consider wearing a face covering in crowded or enclosed spaces.
- Keep it clean – Keep hand sanitizer with you and remember to regularly wash hands, as this can help prevent the spread of many germs, not just COVID-19.
- Vaccinations - Vaccination is free and available to everyone over 5 years of age, regardless of nationality or immigration status. Booking a COVID-19 vaccination is quick and easy. Head over to the NHS website to book your COVID vaccine. We wholeheartedly encourage everyone in our community to get fully vaccinated, including the autumn booster if you are eligible. Please click here for more information about the autumn booster. You can also get a free flu vaccine if you meet any of the NHS criteria – all the information about the flu vaccine is available on the NHS website – and if you do not meet the criteria but would still like protection, some pharmacies offer the vaccine for a small fee.
- Ventilation – It is a colder time of year and so might be less appealing but, if you can, make use of mechanical or natural ventilation to let fresh air in if meeting, studying or working indoors, particularly in more crowded areas. You can improve natural ventilation by fully or partly opening windows, air vents and doors. But do not prop fire doors open. Even 10 minutes an hour can help increase the amount of fresh air, depending on the size of the room.
Click here for further government information about living safely with respiratory infections including COVID-19.