While infection rates at Sussex continue to remain low, government guidelines recommend that all staff should get twice-weekly Covid-19 tests using the home testing kits that are easily ordered from the www.gov.uk website. Staff and students can also collect home testing kits from several campus locations.
We do expect all students and staff to wear face coverings, unless exempt, on public transport and in crowded and enclosed spaces on campus - including in all teaching spaces - and to follow the instructions indicated by signage. This signage will be very visible across the campus.
It's helpful for the University to know the likely levels of protection our staff have against the virus. Please consider updating your vaccination status on the MyView portal. It is your choice whether you supply this information to the University, and you can update or remove this data at any time.
New winter guidance
The University's Health and Safety team has published some new winter guidance on Covid to provide managers with information on what steps can be taken to balance ventilation rates against temperature as we enter the colder months. The guidance includes a thermal comfort assessment template for managers to assess if additional steps should be taken with regards to temperature and staff working conditions.
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If you are concerned either about an office area or a teaching space please notify your line manager. Information for staff will continue to be updated on our Working on campus webpages.
Your wellbeing
Working on or off campus can throw up challenges as Covid-19 continues to influence our lives, so please remember that University's wellbeing hub offers many tools and resources to look after your mental, physical and financial wellbeing. The hub has recently been updated with our new Wellbeing and Mental Health Policy and a recent report from the staff mental health forum.
The University’s Employee Assistance Programme partners, Health Assured, offer a comprehensive service for Sussex staff and an evidence-based app providing tools and support to improve mental wellbeing. Their confidential helpline provides urgent support to staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 0800 316 9337.
Please take some time to consider the range of webinars hosted by Health Assured (using access code: worklife and password: worklife). The 'Coping with change' session, offering practical measures we can put in place to help us cope with change in our lives, may be of particular interest at this time.