Covid-19 update to the College community – 06.03.20

Posted on: 06 March 2020

Dear colleagues and students,

We are writing to update you in relation to the evolving Covid-19 situation here in Trinity College Dublin.

We want to reassure you a Trinity Covid-19 Working Group has been operating for some weeks and that the Major Emergency Management Team has met in recent days and that decisions are being taken to reduce the risks from the virus.

These decisions include a new ban on staff and students coming into the college for 14 days after they have returned from a high-risk area. These areas are defined by the HSE as follows: China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Iran, Japan or the Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna or Piedmont regions in Italy. Arrangements for working and studying remotely will be made as appropriate. Staff and students living in college or college accommodation will be communicated with separately.

In addition, all staff and students should minimise work-related travel overseas as much as possible, and work-related travel to high-risk areas is prohibited until further notice. This is to reduce the risk of infection being brought back to the campus.

We continue to engage with the HSE following the single confirmed case on Covid-19 in Trinity. At this time, NO other case has been diagnosed to our knowledge. On foot of this diagnosed case the relevant part of the University remains closed as a precautionary measure and will be reopened on Monday. As of today (Friday), the rest of the University is open and operating as normal. Students and staff planning to return to campus on Monday (March 9) should assume that classes, laboratories etc will take place as normal unless they are informed otherwise by their head of area.

Separate emails will be sent to students in Health Sciences to update them on issues related to this field. Students and staff in this faculty should be sure to read these emails as well.

The situation could change over the coming days and everybody should check emails regularly over the weekend as well as the latest official advice from the HSE and other statutory bodies.

The website www.tcd.ie/about/coronavirus is the best source for information for Trinity students and staff on this issue although we will also be giving some updates over Facebook and Twitter. Please refer to the FAQs page on the website, which has again been updated, for more information about Covid-19 and Trinity as well as the latest official advice and guidance from the HSE and other statutory bodies for advice.

Should you have any particular concerns, please contact the HSE hotline on 1850 241850 for further advice. In the event that you are positively diagnosed with the virus, please contact Chief Operating Officer Geraldine Ruane on 087 626 7323 or Director of Public Affairs and Communications Tom Molloy on 086 1731874 to ensure that the University can take the appropriate measures as quickly as possible.

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind you that the best protection is hand hygiene, so please use the hand sanitiser gels around the campus and wash your hands throughout the day.

As ever, Trinity understands and appreciates the challenges presented to students and staff at times like this. Please rest assured we will continue to keep you updated as the situation unfolds.

Kind regards,

John Coman, College Secretary
Dr Niamh Farrelly, Acting Director of College Health