With national COVID levels reducing and the country beginning to return to normal, we will be removing the final COVID precautions from our campuses on 3 May.

This means the University will move from the Targeted Protection level we have been in since September 2021, and into the Steady State operational level.

Ending COVID restrictions from 3 May 2022

• Wearing a face mask indoors will become a personal choice.
• COVID tests will only be provided by the University in exceptional cases.
• We are ending the need for our community to regularly test while on campus.
• All remaining spaces will operate at full capacity.

What to do if you test positive for COVID

We realise that COVID has not gone away and that it is still possible to contract the virus. If you receive a positive COVID result, there is no legal requirement asking you to isolate but it is likely that you will be infectious to others. We are asking therefore that you avoid contact with others for five days after the day you took the test.

If you have a respiratory infection, a high temperature or do not feel well enough to study or work, please stay away from campus where possible and avoid contact with others until you feel better. If you are living on campus, this will mean you should try to avoid contact with others as much as you can. Taking this precaution will help to reduce infection transmission on our campuses.

Continue to wash your hands

Please also continue to wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitiser where available. If you experience mild cold, flu or other symptoms, but you still feel well enough to work or study, you might consider wearing a mask, while you’re symptomatic.

Targeted actions

We will continue to do all we can to keep our community as COVID secure as possible. If there are outbreaks in particular areas, our Occupational Health team will employ targeted actions, such as reintroducing face coverings and COVID testing.

Questions and Support

The COVID inbox will remain open for the remainder of the Summer Term, please continue to email covid19@essex.ac.uk with any COVID related enquiries.

Thank you

We would like to thank everyone for their continued efforts in keeping our community COVID secure. We know it hasn’t been easy but by working together as a community, we are now able to move into this new phase, to meet and reconnect in-person again, and to enjoy our unique campuses.