Student Update: Face coverings on campus and Local Covid-19 tier restrictions 

Please be aware that this information was shared with students by email and correct at the time of sending. For the latest Covid-19 guidance, please visit our coronavirus webpages: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus. If you are a student who has a query or needs support, please log a helpcall with ASK@WLV in e:Vision (www.wlv.ac.uk/evision).

As we approach the end of this second period of lockdown and continue with our plans for the end of term, I hope you are staying well with the unusual situation we find ourselves in. We appreciate how difficult this first term has been for many of you and we hope you are all keeping safe.

In this update we cover:

• Face coverings on campus
• New three-tier Covid-19 restrictions for England from Wednesday, 2 December

Face coverings on campus

Face coverings are now mandatory in all parts of our campuses. This includes communal areas (for example stairwells, corridors and when entering/exiting a building) as well as in teaching and learning spaces, which includes the library, classrooms, lecture theatres and practical rooms.

When on campus, please carry a face covering with you and ensure you wear one in University buildings at all times across your mouth and nose, unless you are exempt.

Everyone must understand that face coverings do not replace good hand hygiene and other safety precautions. This includes effective hand washing, the use of hand sanitisers where soap and water are not readily available, and social distancing.

Please visit our Safety on Campus webpage for more information.

Local Covid-19 tier restrictions from 2 December

The government has recently announced details of the new three-tier system that will come into effect when the four-week national lockdown across England ends on Wednesday 2 December. It is your responsibility to ensure that you understand the tier restrictions in your campus and how this affects you as a member of the local community. 

Our local Covid-19 alert tiers are: 

• Wolverhampton - Tier 3: Very High alert 
• Walsall - Tier 3: Very High alert 
• Telford - Tier 2: High alert 
• Burton - Tier 3: Very High alert 
• Stafford - Tier 3: Very High alert 
• Hereford - Tier 2: High alert 

You can check your own postcode here: www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-local-restrictions 

The last day of on campus teaching for most courses will be Friday 4 December. Courses with practical sessions will finish on campus teaching by Tuesday 8 December. Teaching will move online for the remainder of the term, which concludes on Friday 18 December. 

Gym facilities at Walsall Campus will reopen from Wednesday, 2 December. For more information and opening times please visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/university-life/wlv-gym/. Catering outlets at City, Walsall and Telford Campus will continue to offer a take-away only service. 

The University continues to monitor the national situation regarding Covid-19 closely, we are in touch with other universities to ensure we are all sharing best practice and liaising with our local councils and public health regarding the situation at a local level. 

Please visit our Local Restrictions web page for further information on the restrictions across each of our locations. 

Please be aware that our University campuses remain open for students to access study spaces and this will continue during the Christmas break. In partnership with the Students' Union, we are working on a full programme of events which will take place throughout December. We’ll share more information about these activities and how you can get involved soon.

Thank you, and stay safe.

Professor Julia Clarke

Deputy Vice-Chancellor