Given the current climate with regards to the Covid-19 pandemic, there are many areas of our lives which won’t be the same for some time. One particular group of people who were particularly affected are students, many of whom will be going back to university under altogether different circumstances. Although we know that most of these young men and women are not at high risk from the virus, there is always the chance that they can get it. Additionally students can pass that virus onto more vulnerable people and, until the vaccine program is fully rolled out, students will have to tread with caution.

Student accommodation in particular is something which will be impacted, and many students are nervous about the prospect of living in close quarters with so many others.

Putting Rules in Place

Uni accommodation on campus will see new rules in place with regards to the wearing of face masks, as well as the addition of sanitization stations. This emulates many of the same precautions currently in place across many businesses & institutions and whilst students are being invited back, they have to be careful and mindful of these new rules & measures.

Staying Inside

Across many universities teaching will either be in socially distanced spaces or through the use of video calling software. There is no doubt that there will be a much bigger focus on students staying inside their dorms than previous years. This will also go beyond the classroom and will most likely be the case for many social areas on campus, which will remain closed for the foreseeable future. Whilst this is not great news for students, they will still be able to continue their studies and there will still be other opportunities to socialise with fellow students.

Private Accommodation

Those who live in private uni accommodation have been contacted by universities, who have laid out the best action plans to keep students safe. In these types of accommodation it is expected to see similar rules enforced as seen across private rentals. This will include the availability of hand sanitisers and enforcing of social distancing where possible.

Cleaning of Accommodation

On-campus student accommodation would usually have been cleaned on occasion, but most of the time it was up to the students to keep their own living space clean and tidy. Given the importance of keeping the infection rate down, universities will have to use private cleaning companies to regularly sanitize the accommodation. This should be expected by every single student heading to campus, and it will be critical in making sure that there is no rise in fast transmission figures.

These are certainly testing times and whilst there is a low danger to students regarding mortality, the risk of COVID-19 to a large group of people in one space cannot be ignored. For this reason a variety of changes have to be made at university, especially when it comes to the management and the cleaning of uni accommodation. It is also recommended that students also look to keep themselves prepared & bring masks, avoid unnecessary contact with others & santise whenever possible.