Safety on College During the Coronavirus Outbreak

With the first transmission of coronavirus case confirmed in late February, the UK government put the country on lockdown on March 23, 2020. All the local and private operations were suspended, and the educational institutes had no choice but to shift their learning systems online. Till date, more than 135,000 cases have been reported out of which nearly 18,700 is the death toll rate due to COVID-19. In such a situation, where the entire world is on a health emergency, the school and college administrators are trying their best to provide safety to its students and keep them protected.

Ever since WHO affirmed coronavirus as a pandemic, almost all schools, colleges and universities have started taking preventive measures to stop the spread of the disease. Many institutes have officially declared virtual classes as a standard learning approach for the rest of the semester. The administrators have also revised the calendars and course schedules to accommodate students who face trouble in accessing the lessons online. There has been a fool-proof timetable set for the next two to three months to keep the students as well as the teachers engaged.

Following are some of the steps taken to ensure academic continuity and stop the further spread of the virus.

Shifting the Learning System Online

Some of the institutes have been practising this before the outbreak, but now, virtual classes have become a new norm in the academic world. The campus management has taken this decision to allow the students to stay at home and get online education without any hassle. Moreover, you won’t have to run after your friends asking them can you write my assignment for me. You can get the best writing services from the experts, that too, online.

However, there are certain downsides of conducting lectures virtually. Firstly, the special students would have difficulties in operating the device. Secondly, they may also face troubles with logging in to their respective classes and take their learning materials on their own. Lastly, the learners who do not have access to a good internet connection may also end up missing the lectures.

Keeping all these points in mind, the issues can be resolved and transforming the traditional classes to remote learning is the only best option available today. If you are facing any kind of trouble regarding the online sessions, the school and college administrators are ready to assist and guide you.

Campus Visits and Admissions

Amid the chaos of suspending classes on campus and accepting applications for the new semester, many colleges have restricted the visits within the premises too. Prospect students are no more allowed to walk through inside the schools and colleges and get familiar with the environment.

However, some specific institutions are offering virtual visits for those who still want to experience campus life before making a final decision. They can watch a virtual information session and enjoy the other campus activities by sitting at their home. Therefore, this process is easier and safer. Students just have to the portal and request their visit as soon as possible because there are limited seats available.

Furthermore, few of the colleges are also offering test-optional admissions. They are accepting applications without the SAT, and IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE scores. The management took this decision considering the shutdown of testing centres in various regions of the world.

Cancellation of Travel Plans

The government, as well as the school administration, has advised all the students to stay indoors. For the foreign students, those who have left the country are asked not to travel back and remain in their homeland until the end of this pandemic. That being said, those who are worried about their studies are given some leverage, either their semester is frozen or they are given their fees back as compensation.

Moreover, the colleges are also offering online counselling sessions to help the students who are affected by this pandemic. There are medical experts and psychiatrist team available to keep a track on the health conditions and check-up each student. Also, those institutes who do not have such services, the public safety services are ordered to look after the crisis to ensure the academic continuity remains smooth.

Communicating Warnings and Preventive Measures

In this epidemiological situation, every parent, student, professor and institution leader is uncertain about the next event. This is why it is important to stay up to date with the facts and statistics of this pandemic.

Making the right use of their positions, the school administrators should spread awareness among the students to keep them safe and healthy. Following are the points that need to be highlighted.

• Washing Your Hands

  It is advised to keep your hands clean at all times. Use soap with water and rinse for at least 20 seconds to kill all the germs. If you are using a sanitizer, ensure it contains at least 70% alcohol to be effective.

• Staying Inside

  Till now, the main driver of this disease is the transmission of germs from human to human. When you limit yourself within a space, there are lesser chances of you contracting the virus and spreading it. If in any case, you need to go outside, remember to wear a mask and gloves to avoid directly touching your mouth, nose or eyes.

• Watch Out For the Symptoms

  The coronavirus is diagnosed 14-28 days after you are exposed to the germs. You may feel tiredness, minor flu – cough or sneeze, and breathing issues in severe cases.

If the person positive to the virus has a prior medical history of diabetes, high blood pressure, or asthma, they may be more vulnerable and get severely ill. Hence, it is advised to regularly check yourself for the symptoms and seek guidance from the authorities in case of any concern or confusion. It may not look serious at first, but if not treated on time, there is a high possibility of losing your life to death.

Plans for the Future

The management is actively looking for solutions and measures that can stop the spread of this disease. While the campuses are under lockdown, the administrators are ensuring to:

• Provide hand gel and soaps throughout the campus to keep all students clean and safe.
• Limit the number of students in each class to maintain social distance.
• Break large classes into smaller portions and conduct classes in open spaces like auditorium or halls.
• Make access to the institute’s health department and doctors easier for every student.
• Take admission tests online with the availability of multiple slots for each student.
• Provide leverage for international students with the admission deadline, fee payment deadline and a choice to take classes on campus or online.

Indeed, the outbreak has left all the students, parents and educational leaders in distress. There has been significantly raise in emails and requests for consultancy at the academics department amidst of this pandemic. However, the professionals are efficiently dealing with each case in the best way possible and advising the student guardians to remain calm. That is why it is your role as an individual to subscribe to all the COVID-19 related news and stay updated with the community members until the end of this semester.