As you may know, the Government recently announced that all areas of England will now be classified into one of three tiers (or ‘alert levels’) reflecting the local prevalence of Covid-19 and with different levels of restrictions on communities to reduce rates of infection. The full details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-levels-what-you-need-to-know. Do check this information so you are up to date with the situation.
In Lincoln (as at 16.10.2020) we are currently classified as Tier 1 – Medium. The restrictions are the same as those previously in place nationally: You may not meet socially in a group of more than six people, indoors or outdoors, unless you live in household larger than six where you can socialise indoors and outdoors with your household. All pubs, bars and restaurants in a Tier 1 area (i.e. in our area of Lincolnshire) must close by 10pm.
As many students will come from different parts of the country they may be confused about which rules apply to them. Please be reassured if you are living currently in Lincoln or Lincolnshire the rules for Tier 1, as described above, apply to you.
There are also two other Tiers which are explained below:
Currently some other areas are in Tier 2. For example all of Nottinghamshire, Leicester, London, Essex, York and parts of Derbyshire, have now been classified as Tier 2 – High. The restrictions in a Tier 2 area are the same as Tier 1 but also have other restrictions. In Tier 2 you are not allowed to meet socially with people you do not live with indoors – this includes private homes, as well as pubs or restaurants. You can still meet friends and family outdoors, but only in a group of up to six people in these areas that are in Tier 2.
Currently only the Liverpool City Region is classified as Tier 3 – Very High. The restrictions in a Tier 3 area mean that you are not allowed to meet socially with anybody who is not part of your household or your support bubble indoors or in certain outdoor locations; you cannot meet in private gardens or pub gardens, but can meet in parks, beaches, countryside or forests, as long as you are not in a group of more than six. Pubs and bars must close unless they are serving substantial meals – alcohol can only be served as part of a meal. People are being advised not to travel into or out of Tier 3 areas, other than for work, education, youth services or because of caring responsibilities.
Some students may be travelling to and from University and living in another part of the country. If this applies to you, as a student wherever you are travelling from, you are allowed to continue to travel to and from University. There is no current classification that would mean our students, including students who commute to Lincoln from a Tier 2 or Tier 3 area, could not attend campus for face-to-face teaching, to access resources or facilities or undertake research.
Overall we are aware that these new classifications may affect students at the University of Lincoln although their impact depends on individual circumstances. The changes do affect students who have a permanent or term time household in Lincoln who want to visit friends or family living in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 area.
If your family or friends are living in a Tier 2 area you can visit them but can only meet outdoors and only in a group of up to six people. You cannot stay overnight with your family or friends in their home but you could stay in a hotel, bed and breakfast or short term/holiday self-catering accommodation.
If your family or friends live in a Tier 3 area you would only be able to meet them in a park, on a beach, in the countryside or a forest and only in a group of up to six people. The current advice is that travel into and out of Tier 3 areas should be limited only to work, education, or to deliver care.
We know that these limitations on travel will have a significant impact on some students. If you are finding it difficult to cope with not being able to visit family or friends and you would like to talk to someone about how you are feeling, please contact the Student Wellbeing Service – studentwellbeing@lincoln.ac.uk or visit the Support Hub on the ground floor of the Minerva Building. The Student Wellbeing team have also prepared online support material available at: https://studentservices.lincoln.ac.uk