Covid-19: Testing, vaccination and reporting update

In the run-up to the end of term, there will be several key Covid-19 related activities taking place around campus, and procedural updates which it will be useful to familiarise yourself with.

Testing

The government is now recommending everyone takes a rapid Lateral Flow Test before mixing with people in crowded places. In line with this advice, we are encouraging all colleagues and students  who are on campus to take a lateral flow test every day until the end of term, especially before mixing with people in crowded places, such as classrooms.

Tests can be collected from the Library foyer Monday to Thursday between 13.00 and 16.00, and are now available from Greenlands’ reception. You can also order them online to receive by post.

Vaccinations

Following the success of the NHS vaccination van on Whiteknights campus at the beginning of term, during which 272 people received a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, we have arranged for the facility to return for follow-up vaccinations between the 30 November and 2 December.

Healthcare providers will be on-hand to administer doses of the Pfizer vaccine to anyone who is receiving their first dose or second dose. It is important that you only book a second vaccine if your first dose was the Pfizer vaccine and took place at least eight weeks ago.

We have arranged for the van to return to Whiteknights exactly eight weeks since the beginning of term, which means most people who received their first dose then, will be eligible for their second dose this time around.

As before, the vaccine van will be located in the layby near the ICMA centre and will be operating daily between 10am and 4pm.

Book your vaccine appointment

In order to guarantee an appointment, please book as soon as possible. Opportunities for walk-in appointments on the day will be very limited.

We also encourage you to take up your Covid-19 ‘booster’ dose and seasonal flu vaccine, both of which can be booked through the NHS website or arranged through their GP. The vaccine van will not be offering Covid-19 booster doses.

Find out more about Covid-19 vaccinations.

Control measures on campus

We have been carefully reviewing the positive case numbers among colleagues and students, and while these remain low, it is important that we do not become complacent. Therefore, we will not be making any changes to our control measures on campus in the spring term. One-way systems will remain in place and the wearing of face coverings within shared indoor spaces will continue to be encouraged.

Major Response Team

As Covid-19 measures continue to ease, the University’s Major Response Team (MRT) has taken the decision to wind down its activity. The MRT has been crucial throughout the last 20 months for overseeing the University’s response to the pandemic, and in recent weeks has focused on embedding its activity into business as usual. We would like to thank all those colleagues who have played such an integral part in the University’s handling of the ever-changing circumstances.

Going forward, any Covid-related enquiries should be directed to the following channels:

• Reporting a positive staff case
• Reporting a positive student case
• Queries regarding covid-related workplace health & safety: local health & safety coordinator or Occupational Health, as appropriate
• Any other general Covid queries: covid-hotline@reading.ac.uk

If a colleague receives a positive test result, they must inform their line manager, even if they have not recently been on campus.

External delegates and guests

We have created a new form for reporting positive cases among guests and external delegates. This form should be completed by the member of staff who is responsible for the event and submitted as soon as possible following notification of a positive case.