Coronavirus
The latest information and advice for our community in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. We are committed to supporting our communities and partners and will continue to update you on the latest advice and guidance.
The health and wellbeing of our entire community is our first priority
Since the Covid-19 outbreak first emerged, the University worked hard to develop and deliver a comprehensive action plan with our communities safety at the heart. We have been, and will continue to, follow UK Government guidance and work closely with health authorities and Public Health England to ensure we stay up to date with the latest information relating to the pandemic and our community.
UK Government guidance
On 1 April 2021, the UK Government's plans for living with Covid-19 was updated to reflect the lifting of the remaining legal restrictions in England.
This means:
- The legal requirement to self-isolate has now ended, although the Government advises people with Covid-19 symptoms or who have tested positive to exercise personal responsibility and stay at home, avoiding contact with other people for at least five full days.
- Fully vaccinated adults and those aged under 18 who are close contacts are no longer advised to test daily for seven days and the legal requirement for close contacts who are not fully vaccinated to self-isolate will be removed.
- Routine contact tracing has ended, including venue check-ins on the NHS Covid-19 app.
- Free symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public has ended, but free symptomatic tests to those at the highest risk from Covid-19 will continue.
People are encouraged to follow public health advice, as with all infectious diseases such as the flu, to minimise the chance of catching Covid-19 and help protect family and friends. The full Government guidance is available to read here.
The UK Government has also withdrawn its Covid-19 guidance for higher education providers and published guidance on how educational and childcare settings should plan for and deal with emergencies, including significant public health incidents and severe weather in its place. They have also published further guidance on reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including Covid-19, in the workplace.
Staying safe at Surrey
We will continue to monitor the situation and maintain contingency plans in order to help keep our community safe and ensure we can continue to work, study, socialise and live on campus without detriment to our health, safety and wellbeing.
We encourage everyone to play their part in protecting our community through exercising personal responsibility and being considerate towards others.
Covid-19 vaccinations
In order to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our community and to ensure continuity of our services, we urge everyone to book their Covid-19 vaccination or booster injection.
If you haven’t already, please book your vaccination online now.
If you are not already registered with a local GP then we recommend that you do this as soon as possible to ensure that you are able to book your vaccination. This should be a GP located close to where you will be living over the summer months.
- Register with a GP if you are still living in Guildford
- Register with a GP if you are living elsewhere in England.
Covid-19 testing
It is no longer a requirement to take a test before returning to work, live or study on campus.
People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including Covid-19
If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as Covid-19, and you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, you are advised to follow the UK Government guidance and stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) or until you no longer feel unwell.
Testing positive for Covid-19
If you have a positive Covid-19 test result, follow the UK Government guidance and stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test.
You are no longer required to report a positive test result with the Rapid Response Team. Sickness and absence reporting will revert back to the pre-pandemic protocols and procedures.
Face coverings
In line with the UK Government guidance, it is no longer a requirement to wear a face covering whilst moving through buildings and within teaching, learning and study environments, moving around shared occupancy and open plan office spaces, however we continue to support anyone wishing to wear face coverings across the campus, especially in busy spaces.
Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV)
The UK Government issued revised guidance in April 2022 for people previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable from Covid-19.
The government now advises everyone to follow guidance on living safely with respiratory infections, including Covid-19. Please contact the University's Disability and Neurodiversity team if you have any specific queries about your own situation.
Useful contacts
If you have immediate concerns for your own health please call NHS 111 or use the NHS online coronavirus service.
Our Security team is available 24/7 if you require emergency assistance: Call +44 (0)1483 683333.
The Centre for Wellbeing is available Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm: Call +44 (0)1483 689498.
As a community, we need to ensure all advice and guidance is being followed for the health and safety of ourselves and others. If you wish to report a breach, anonymously or with contact details, please use our Report + Support service. For urgent assistance, call Security on +44 (0)1483 683333.