University announces Covid Rapid Response Team and code of conduct for students
The University has announced further Coronavirus measures as the new academic year approaches. These include a "Covid Rapid Response Team" to respond to suspected incidences of the virus and an eight-point Covid Code. Breaches of the code will be treated as a disciplinary matter.
The University has announced further Coronavirus measures as the new academic year approaches. The University has established the Covid Rapid Response Team which will respond to suspected incidence of coronavirus amongst both students and staff.
The Covid Rapid Response Team will provide:
- Staff and students with access to clear guidance, testing, and quarantine/self-isolation support
- Local residents with a single point of contact for incident reporting
- Rapid assistance with contact-tracing
- Data and insights to inform local policy and protection.
This comes in the same week that the Scottish Government announced plans to open the country’s first walk-in test centre. In partnership with the University and NHS Fife, the testing centre will be in the Victory Memorial Hall on St Mary’s Place. This will provide appointments for the whole community through NHS inform. This will enhance NHS capacity and is hoped to provide speedy diagnosis and contact-tracing.
Additionally, The University has published an eight-point Covid Code for students which stipulates mask-wearing, social distancing, self-isolation, and respecting public health guidance. They are also recruiting student ambassadors, termed “Covid Saints”, to promote safe behaviour.
Each student is to receive a copy of the Covid Code and more than 15,000 printed copies will also be made available to local businesses and organisations. Breaching the guidance, both on University property and around town, is a disciplinary matter.
The Principal, Professor Sally Mapstone, said:
“As a community and a country, we are facing our greatest challenge in a generation. The only effective way to meet this challenge is to recognise our shared responsibilities to each other, and to work together.
“The walk-in test centre announced this week and the University’s Covid Rapid Response Team are two good examples of how shared resources and social responsibility can help keep St Andrews safe. Our Covid Code sets out clear expectations of the way we should all behave to stay safe and help each other.
“I recognise that there are anxieties in St Andrews about the return of our students, and I want to assure our neighbours that we take those concerns seriously and have put in place a comprehensive raft of measures to address them.
“This is a new experience for everyone, and we are learning as we go. We won’t always get it right first time, but with support and feedback from our students, staff and local community, I am confident we have the opportunity to model how collective responsibility can ensure community safety.”
St Andrews Students’ Association President Dan Marshall said:
“Our message is clear that, as students, we all have a responsibility to be respectful of and to protect our local community and closely following the Covid Code is a major part of that.”
Members of the public can contact the University’s Covid Helpdesk for advice or to report concerns. Call the Helpdesk on 01334 464146 or email covidhelp@st-andrews.ac.uk.
The Covid Code for Students is as follows:
- Wear a face-covering indoors. You should do this whenever you are in company other than your household, and always when instructed to do so. It is a legal requirement in shops and on public transport.
- Observe guidance on physical distancing – keep 2 metres distance.
- Avoid large gatherings and parties – no more than eight people may gather inside, no more than 15 people should gather outside, from no more than three households.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
- Pay attention to local guidance, including one-way systems in shops and requests that customers avoid shopping in groups.
- Consider wearing gloves or apply additional cleaning measures (such as using personal hand sanitiser or wipes) when using public facilities and businesses.
- You must quarantine/self-isolate if you or a member of your household develops symptoms, or if you have travelled through or from a country not listed as a government exemption.
- Familiarise yourself with Scottish Government guidance and NHS advice, and check University emails regularly.
