From Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience
As of 8 March, the first step of the Government’s roadmap for moving the country out of lockdown comes into force. This means that the guidelines will change slightly.
It is still important that you stay at home and only leave home for specific reasons including access to University facilities, work, essential shopping or to access medical supplies.
However, from 8 March you may meet with one other person from outside your household outdoors socially as well as for daily outdoor exercise.
Please ensure you socially distance when meeting others not in your household and continue to follow all advice concerning Hands, Face, Space.
Please note you should not return to campus unless you have been specifically invited to do so by your academic school or fit one of the existing criteria (for health, wellbeing and study space reasons).
For those of you who are returning, more detailed information concerning travel, testing and our campus facilities is available on our Spring Return page.
Once you have completed the correct return travel and testing steps, please remember that as long as you remain symptom-free, you need to be regularly tested for Covid-19 twice a week if you are living on campus or visiting the campus to use equipment or facilities. Should you develop any Covid-19 related symptoms, please follow our Self-isolate, Test, Inform procedure.
Returning from within the UK
For those of you who have been contacted by your academic school regarding coming back to campus from 8 March, please get tested at a community facility local to your current home if possible before you return. You must then be tested twice at our asymptomatic testing site before you use any campus facilities and then continue to be tested regularly.
Returning from abroad
For those of you who have been prioritised for return and are currently in another country, please ensure you follow the relevant guidance to travel back safely. Please check our International student advice page and ensure you read the Government guidance fully.
Unless you are prioritised for return to campus, the Government is still against international travel.
Next week I will provide further details on our plans for next term including online examinations and our Summer events programme. Postgraduate research students can also expect a further Covid update from the Dean of the Graduate and Researcher College, Professor Paul Allain.
If you have any questions, please see our Student Coronavirus webpages or email CovidSupport@kent.ac.uk for further support.
Best wishes
Richard
Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience