In anticipation for your return to site we would like to ensure you are aware of our updated COVID safety measures.

Please read the following information carefully.

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COVID Symptoms

If you experience any symptoms of COVID, a high temperature, continuous cough and any changes to your taste and smell, you must isolate immediately and arrange a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Please also be aware that you may experience other symptoms with the Omicron variant such as runny nose and sore throat.

If you need to isolate, then please ensure you contact tutor as soon as possible or the attendance team.

Please also ensure that you tell them the following information:

• Date symptoms started.
• When you were last onsite.
• Who you were in close contact with up to 48 hours prior     to symptoms starting (or the date of a positive test if there are no     symptoms). (Close contact is less than 2 metres for more than 15 minutes     or less than 1 metre for more than 1 minute.)
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Updated guidance around isolating for people who have COVID

You can now end your isolation early if you test negative on lateral flow tests(LFTs) on two consecutive days 24 hours apart, with the first test no earlier than day 6 of your isolation (if you no longer have a high temperature). These results should be reported so that the legal requirement for you to isolate is ended.

It’s important that you still take extra care around other people in case you are still infectious. You are strongly advised:

• to limit close contact with other     people outside your household, especially in crowded, enclosed, or poorly     ventilated spaces.
• to wear a face covering at all times.
• to limit contact with anyone who is at higher risk of     severe illness if infected with COVID-19.
• to follow the guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread.

You should follow this advice until 10 full days from when your self-isolation period started.

If you get to day 10 and you’re still testing positive on a LFT you can end your isolation as normal unless you still have a temperature.

If you do need to isolate and you are well enough to work, your tutor can arrange for work to be completed at home. Please ensure your tutor and the attendance team are aware so registers can be marked accordingly. You will need to show the work you have completed at home.

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Close Contacts

If you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, you are not legally required to self-isolate if you are fully vaccinated or are below the age of 18 years 6 months. 

Adults (aged 18 years and 6 months) who are not fully vaccinated must continue to isolate for 10 days from when they were last in contact with the person who has COVID.

If you are a close contact and you do not need to isolate, please ensure that the following safety measures are adhered to:

Daily testing of LFT’s. You are no longer advised to get a PCR test if you are a close contact, only if you develop symptoms.

Not work in close contact with anyone who is critically vulnerable.

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Face Coverings

Face coverings should now be worn while moving around the site, in communal areas and in classrooms/workshops unless you are exempt. Students who are exempt should wear an orange lanyard with their Hull College lanyard for safeguarding reasons.

Use of LFT’s

We would like to ask all students to take an LFT before they return to the college site, this should be done the night before or on the morning of your return. If you do not have any LFT’s you can visit the college testing centre which is located down B corridor, and you will also be able to collect LFT’s to take home.

Please ensure that you continue to test twice weekly each week.

The effectiveness of LFTs improves if you use them according to the instructions –it’s easy to cut corners when you’re so used to doing them but it’s worth going back and reminding yourself of the instructions for the kits you have. Please ensure you watch the videos available via this link: How to do a coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow test - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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If you have any issues or concerns, please speak to your tutor in the first instance or call into the Student Services Hub, located behind the reception in the Chester’s building.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support as we continue through the academic year and work to keep everyone safe.

I look forward to welcoming you all back and wish you every success in your studies for this term.

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Kind regards

Lowell Williams

Principal & CEO

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