The situation around the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to change and the information on these pages will be updated regularly. You should use this, and the emails sent to staff and students, as your main source of information about the University's response to this situation.

Updated government measures

Stay at home

On 23 March 2020, the Prime Minister announced a new range of measures that include:

• Staying at home except for essential trips to shops for basic food items, health reasons, for essential work (‘work that absolutely cannot be done from home’), or if you are getting supplies to support an older or vulnerable person
• Staying 2 metres (6ft) away from other people
• Washing your hands as soon as you get home
• Advising any British citizens who remain abroad to return to the UK as quickly as possible

See the full government guidance on staying at home and away from others

We are in liaison with UUK and the Department of Education about how these instructions can be implemented in light of the need for us to maintain essential services, including for students resident on campus.

We will be bringing forward our planned closure of the majority of university buildings by the end of the week to a hard and fast deadline by which all non-essential buildings will be closed by 5pm on Wednesday 25 March.

Self-isolation

Staying at Home Guidance published by Public Health England explains when to self-isolate, how to effectively manage self-isolation in different living environments, and how to support the well-being of anyone self-isolating and those around them. Key messages are:

• If you live alone and you have symptoms of coronavirus illness (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms started.
• If you live with others and you or one of them have symptoms of coronavirus, then all household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill
• Anyone in the household who starts displaying symptoms needs to stay at home for 7 days from when the symptoms appeared, regardless of what day they are on in the original 14-day isolation period.

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. You do not need to contact NHS 111 to tell them you're staying at home, but you should contact the University (see below).

If your symptoms worsen during isolation or are no better after seven days, contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999. If you are a student on campus and you have an emergency please call (01904) 32 3333 (3333 from a university extension).

Informing the University that you are self-isolating

This applies to all staff and students, even if you're currently away from campus.

Students

Please inform the Student Hub by filling in the student self-isolation form.

The information you provide will be shared with relevant teams within the University to support you, including your academic department. If you have any problems completing the form, please email student-hub@york.ac.uk

Postgraduate researchers

Please fill in the student self-isolation form and also inform your supervisor.

Staff

Please inform us using our staff self-isolation form. If you're not able to access the form, please contact your line manager by telephone. They will complete the form for you while you are on the phone.

This will allow us to gather data and understand the impact of COVID-19 more quickly. The form does not ask for any medical information, but does ask you to give dates you believe you will be self-isolating and whether you are well and able to work from home. The information will be used for business continuity and sick pay purposes. As the Government has relaxed the requirements for fit notes in relation to self-isolation and Covid-19, you will not at this moment be required to provide a fit note and this form will be used in its place. Should this situation change, we will update this information.

Showing respect to each other

The University is a global community, with one in every four people on our campus (both staff and students), coming from outside the UK. We value, celebrate and are proud of our inclusive and diverse community.

We would like to remind all staff and students that the University is a community of respect. All members of our community are expected to act in accordance with our shared values of respect, fairness and compassion, and to ensure that all aspects of our individual and collective behaviour adhere to, and reflect, these principles. We encourage anyone experiencing or witnessing abuse or inappropriate behaviour to report it to the University. If you feel you need support, please contact the Student Hub or staff support services.