Returning to Chester!

With the world the way it is at the minute we are sure you are concerned about moving back into your shared houses, so please make sure you read the below and keep as up-to-date as possible with government guidance.

First make sure you are safe to travel:

• Check you/ anyone you have been in close contact with have no symptoms of COVID-19 (coronavirus)
• If possible isolate for a week prior to moving
• Definitely take a test before travelling and, assuming it is negative, also isolate to prevent infection

If you are an international tenant and are coming back from overseas there might be a few extra things you need to do so you might want to check the UK government website for more information.

The government have said they will give students 1 weeks’ notice before Universities are set to fully open again, however, they understand people may need to return to their term-time address prior to this for other commitments as other industries re-open.

When you arrive back in Chester you will need to:

• Take another COVID test
• Socially distance from your housemates – this means keeping to 1m+ physical distance from everyone else, ideally 2m but where that isn’t possible you can be 1m apart with additional precautions such as wearing a face covering, opening windows/ doors, not facing each other
• Wash/ sanatise your hands more regularly
• Wipe down every hard surface you touch in communal areas with anti-bacterial wipes/ watered down bleach (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) on a wrung out cloth or sponge – including bathrooms, kitchens, door handles, etc.

After at least 3 days take another COVID test – assuming yours and your housemates are all negative you can become 1 household again and stop isolating from each other.

Every time someone new comes back you will need to physically distance from them and increase your cleaning, hand washing/ santising until the second negative COVID test.

Again, if you or someone in your house has traveled internationally the guidelines will be different so it is best to check the most up-to-date UK government guidance.

The government are requesting once you are back you start to perform a COVID test twice a week, so every 3 to 4 days.

COVID testing kits should be available from the University, please speak to them directly about how you should collect them.

To take a test before you travel the government have recommended contacting your local community testing sites for a lateral flow test. Please be aware from 9th April lateral flow tests should be available to everyone.

Another big update included in the government guidance for returning to your term-time address is the introduction of an £800.00 fine for attending illegal house parties. This fine doubles for every offence up to £6,400.00. Please don’t be tempted to break the rules.

As always if you have any symptoms of COVID or if you test positive please follow the government guidelines and self-isolate.

We hope this helps and we look forward to having you all back, hopefully, very soon.