Please note: this guidance is subject to change following any further updates from the governement.
(Updated 31 March 2022)
In February, the government published its "Living with COVID-19" plan, and all COVID-19 legal restrictions came to an end in England.
From Friday 1 April, free symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public will end. Government guidance asks people with COVID-19 symptoms to exercise personal responsibility when deciding whether to stay at home and are encouraged to follow public health advice, as with all infectious diseases such as the flu, to minimise the chance of spreading and help protect family and friends.
From Friday 1 April at St Mary’s we ask that everyone considers the safety of others and takes a sensible approach: if you are feeling unwell, with a cold, COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms, please stay at home to recover.
If students feel that being unwell with COVID-19 will affect their studies, or they need support from their lecturers, students should get in touch with their personal tutors or programme leads.
At St Mary’s we will continue to encourage safer behaviours that promote good hygiene and wellness as the most effective way to prevent incidents of COVID-19, the spread of other respiratory infections, and periods of sickness. Government guidance recommends:
- Getting vaccinatedLetting fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meeting outside
- Wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, especially where you come into contact with people you do not usually meet or when rates of transmission are high
- Trying to stay at home if you are unwell, and
- Washing your hands and following advice to ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’.
Answering your questions
In the section below, you will find answers to a range of frequently asked questions. If you have a question that has not been answered please email ourfuture@stmarys.ac.uk.
What should I do if I experience COVID-19 symptoms after 1st April?
From Friday 1 April, the Government will end the free testing programme for most people. Tests will become commercially available and free tests will only continue to be available for those who are vulnerable or older.
From April we ask that everyone considers the safety of others and takes a sensible approach: if you are feeling unwell, with a cold, covid-19 or flu-like symptoms, please stay at home to recover.
What safe behaviours are students and staff advised to follow?
The Government has set out its intention to learn to live with COVID-19. Staff and students continue to be advised that there are safer behaviours they can adopt to prevent incidents of COVID-19-19, the spread of other respiratory infections, and periods of sickness.
Government guidance recommends:
- letting fresh air in when meeting indoors,
- consider wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet,
- trying to stay at home if you are unwell, and
- washing your hands and following advice to ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’
What is the advice for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV)?
Following the removal of restrictions, the Government’s advice to CEV people, is to follow the same guidance as everyone else, as a result of the protection they have received from vaccination.
Do I have to wear a face covering?
At St Mary’s we regard the wearing of face coverings as a matter of personal choice and will support those colleagues who choose to continue wearing a mask.
The Government has ended the programme of regular asymptomatic testing in most education and child care settings. While we still have a stock of test kits we will continue to hand these out.
From Friday 1 April, the Government will end the free testing programme for most people. Tests will become commercially available and free tests will only continue to be available for those who are vulnerable or older.
Vaccinations are the most effective way to limit the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent serious illness if infected. We therefore strongly encourage everyone at St Mary’s to take up COVID-19 vaccination and boosters. These can be booked for free on the NHS website.
We have a dedicated page for International Students advice and guidance which you can access here.
Our Students Health and Wellbeing is important to us, should you need any help or support at any time, you can access this via the information provided below.
How can I access mental health and wellbeing support?
Support for students experiencing mental or emotional distress is available from the University’s Wellbeing Service. They offer a range of practical support in a confidential, professional setting. If students have any concerns that may affect their studies or their time at University, staff are available to listen and provide advice and guidance.
Follow Student Services on their social media platforms for tips and support:
- Instagram: @smustudentsservices
- Twitter: @SMUWellbeing
In addition to support offered by the University's wellbeing service during office hours, students can now access free, confidential online support from any location with Togetherall, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Togetherall also provides access to numerous online courses you can enrol onto, covering a variety of topics to help you feel more in control of your emotional health.
If you or someone you know requires urgent support, please consider contacting the following:
- Your GP or Health Centre
- NHS 111 for non-urgent medical assistance: go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111
- In an Emergency visit Accident & Emergency (A&E) at your local general hospital or call 999
- Police Tel: 101 for non-emergencies or Tel: 999 for immediate support
- The Samaritans on Tel: 116 123 (24hr - 365 days of the year) www.samaritans.org
How can I keep up to date?
Please continue to check your student email and website regularly, as these are the main channels we will use to communicate with you. You may also want to follow the University’s official social media channels, if you do not already do so.
Instagram:
@yourstmarys @stmaryssu @sportstmarys @stmaryssuteam
Twitter:
Student services: https://twitter.com/SMUWellbeing
TikTok:
@stmarysuniversity
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/yourstmarys/
St Mary's Podcast:
UniCast: https://www.stmarys.ac.uk/unicast/podcast.aspx
St Mary's Student Newsletter:
The Student Newsletter is sent to your student email every other Wednesday afternoon. It contains a snap shot of key messages, upcoming campaigns, activity and actions you need to take.