Coronavirus COVID-19

All the legal Covid restrictions have now been lifted in England. However, Covid is still in circulation in society, with certain groups of people particularly at risk. Please help us to keep our community as safe as possible.

Covid can include a range of symptoms, as detailed on the NHS website.

What to do if you think you may have Covid

If you suspect you may have Covid, we advise that you stay at home – restricting contact with others will help to reduce the spread of Covid.

Take a test if you can. Free of charge tests are now only available to certain groups in England. However, the University still has a limited stock of asymptomatic lateral flow tests available for staff and student use. Test kits are also available to purchase at high street pharmacies.

To obtain a test from the University (subject to availability):

  • students should email connectandprotect@lboro.ac.uk
  • staff should fill in this form. You will be sent a QR code and the tests can then be collected from the Wavy Top building on presentation of your QR code or staff ID at the times indicated in the email with your QR code.

If you have Covid symptoms you will still be able to get a PCR test at the University during the summer term. You can book this test through the Connect and Protect service.

If you consider yourself to be a close contact of someone who has contracted Covid, we will still provide you with close contact testing kits whilst stocks last. Use the Connect and Protect form to request them.

If you have Covid symptoms, have tested positive or are a close contact of someone who is Covid positive you should still let the University know via Connect and Protect. This will enable us to monitor case numbers at the University and ensure we can protect our community appropriately.

Protecting yourself and others

Vaccinations

We strongly encourage you to keep up to date with your Covid vaccinations. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself against Covid. Further information, including details of how to book your vaccinations, is available on the NHS website.

Testing

Precautionary testing is one of the best ways to minimise the spread of the virus. Although free of charge tests are now only available to certain groups in England, the University still has a limited stock of asymptomatic lateral flow tests available for staff and student use. Test kits are also available to purchase at high street pharmacies.

To obtain an asymptomatic lateral flow test from the University (subject to availability):

  • students should email connectandprotect@lboro.ac.uk
  • staff should fill in this form. You will be sent a QR code and the tests can then be collected from the Wavy Top building on presentation of your QR code or staff ID at the times indicated in the email with your QR code.

Travel overseas

Some countries still have Covid measures in place for travellers and you should therefore check the requirements in place for the country you are going to.

Students who need to test before flying, can use the Fit to Fly Randox service on campus, bookable through the Connect and Protect form (choose Fit to Fly). This service is subject to availability and not available at weekends.

Staff can arrange Fit to Fly certificates for international business travel (not personal travel) through the Connect and Protect form (subject to capacity).

Face coverings

The use of face coverings is now a personal choice but one we would still encourage. You are still required to wear face coverings in medical environments, including the on-campus Medical Centre. Please be courteous and respectful to any member of staff if they ask you to wear a face covering.

Ventilation in rooms

We advise you to keep shared spaces well ventilated to minimise the spread of Covid on our campuses.

Hand hygiene

Washing your hands thoroughly is one of the primary ways of stopping the transmission of Covid. You should wash your hands frequently using soap and water, for at least 20 seconds each time, throughout the day. There are also alcohol-based hand sanitisers located across our campuses. If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, throw it in the bin and then immediately wash your hands.

Register with a GP

Registering with a GP, such as the on-campus Medical Centre, will enable you to access all NHS services.

Support for staff and students

Students

If you feel that you would benefit from one-to-one wellbeing support, please complete our Wellbeing Appointment Referral Form. A member of our team will then decide the most appropriate service to support you. This may include support from one of our Wellbeing Advisers, an initial assessment with one of our Counsellors or Mental Health Support Team, or a one-off support session to talk about the impact of Covid-19 on your wellbeing with a member of our Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity Team.

You can also use the University’s free Wellbeing App 'LUWellbeing'. It can help you set daily goals, has a range of useful self-help materials and you will find lots of links to support services, all in one place.

Staff

Information about the support available to staff is detailed on the Health and Wellbeing website.