The Government has signalled the potential removal of remaining mandatory restrictions regarding COVID-19 in the coming weeks.
Following this potential change in the national situation from legal requirement to guidance, the wearing of masks will no longer be compulsory on campus. However, in order to protect the vulnerable among our community, we ask that staff and students continue to do so in the dining room and the chapel, and we encourage their use in other contexts where ventilation and/or social distancing is more difficult.
Where possible, lecture rooms will include some socially distanced seating, and laminated cards will continue to be available for students to put on the seat beside them if they prefer the seat beside them to remain empty should there be enough space in the room. There will no longer be a blanket expectation that masks are worn in lectures, but staff and students will be expected to take account of the size of the group in relation to the size of the room and to make decisions on that basis. So, a large group in a room where there is no scope for students to sit separately or with space beside them might be asked to wear masks in the lecture; but a smaller group in a larger room (where there is plenty of scope for spreading out) might not need to do so. We will continue to keep rooms as ventilated as possible.
We also encourage you to test twice a week, or after being in crowded places/events, and to self-isolate if you test positive. If you have been in contact with someone who has Covid, you do not need to self-isolate, but we encourage you to take an LFD test before you come to campus.
After half term, we will make red lanyards available at reception for those who wish to signal that they feel vulnerable and would appreciate those around them observing social distance with them. If you notice that someone is wearing a red lanyard, please be respectful of their need, give them more space and check with them if they would prefer you to wear a mask.
Please note that although LFD test kits remain freely available both online and from community sources such as Pharmacies, the Government legal agreement which enables us to distribute LFD kits expires on Friday 18th February. Therefore we will no longer be able to distribute LFD kits after today.
If you have Covid symptoms (a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a change or loss of your sense of smell or taste), but have tested negative, please wear a mask when you come to campus.
We recognise that these guidelines are more cautious than the practices in many other contexts, but this is for two reasons:
- A proper Christian concern to arrange our corporate life in a way that takes account of the most vulnerable among us, rather than simply the majority;
- The fact that in a Queen’s context students often cannot exercise the same degree of choice that they can in other contexts (e.g. attending lectures and chapel is not optional).
We plan to keep these arrangements in place until Easter, at which point we expect that the warmer weather (and therefore the chance to increase ventilation) will enable further easing of our own restrictions. We will keep you updated on developments.
If you have any queries, please contact Julie Hudson hudsonj@queen.ac.uk or email covid@queens.ac.uk