COVID-19 situation

Number of cases in Singapore

*COVID-19: 21 Mar Update*

As of 12pm:

New imported cases: 39 [33 S’pore residents & long-term pass holders, 6 visitors; travelled from Australia, Europe, N.America, ASEAN, other parts of Asia]

New local cases : 8 [2 linked to previous cases, 6 currently unlinked]

Total cases in Singapore: 432

Discharged today: 9

Total discharged: 140

Total remaining in Hospital: 290

Most in hospital stable or improving. 14 in ICU.

Number of cases in United Kingdom (as of 24 Mar)

Travel updates:

*London will not be on lockdown*

Singapore Airlines:

up to 50% of flights are cancelled, particularly those in APR/MAY 2020

If you want to return but have yet to manage to arrange a flight, register interest for SIA flight home (this link is only for Singaporean citizens and PRs) SIA flight home flights are arranged for 19-31 Mar

For all bookings before 31 Mar and up to the departure date of 31 May, will have flight change waiver fees. Fare differences still apply, and refunds are available for cancellations

Qantas

Not flying to Singapore from 28 Mar. onwards to late-Sep

One-time fee-free rebooking for flights booked between 10-31 Mar. Fare difference still applies. Fees still apply for flights booked before 10 Mar. Changes must be made at least 3 days before travel and must depart before 30 June

British Airways

• BA 11: 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 & 25 Mar roundtrip flights cancelled,

• BA 15: London to Sydney via Singapore operates as normal.

Rebook possible, must be within 12 months for tickets bought between 3 Mar & 31 May

Qatar (via Doha)

Operations as normal, passengers will be allowed to transit, but only Qatari nationals will be allowed to enter Qatar

Change flight dates free of charge if done at least 3 days before departure. Fare differences still apply. Refunds are available for cancellations, no cancellation fee if done at least 3 days prior to flight

*important to note that if you intend to take non-direct flight, check the border policy of the transit country as the situation is fluid and will change rapidly*

Entering Singapore

From Mar 21, all Singapore residents and visitors entering Singapore will be issued a 14 day Stay Home Notice ( SHN )

University Updates:

Tier 4 Action required: update e:vision on where you will be located from now to end of summer term

“We understand that many students may wish to return home, or have already returned to their homes. Some students may wish to remain at home during this period of exceptional circumstances. However, we also appreciate that for some students the campus or the city is their home. It is important for us to understand where are students now reside to help us plan our support services.

Please log into e:vision as soon as you can to provide us with information on your current location and plans for the Summer term.

The University will not be curtailing sponsorship for any Tier 4 student not returning to the UK for the Summer term. However, you must provide the information requested below through e:vision.

This will mean that you do not need to complete an early departure form or a change in study location request for the Summer term. You must update us with your location through e:vision”

All teaching from the start of the summer term on Tuesday 14 April will move to online provision

“We will be working over the Easter vacation period to start the process of updating and moving teaching materials online. We are also in the process of assessing the best digital tools in order to deliver seminars and tutorials via online platforms. We will be able to tell you more about how this will all work in the coming days. Our aim will be to provide access to online learning opportunities wherever you are in the world at the start of next term.”

Residences and colleges remain open

“Should you choose to leave campus or the city and return home following the announcement of online teaching, please inform the Student Hub. For any student remaining on campus or in the city, it is important to understand that the University is not closed. At present most facilities, including Colleges, residences, the library and cafes will remain open and we have been assured by our suppliers of fresh food that stocks have not been affected.”

All examinations and assessments for the remainder of the academic year will be moved online

“We are working with all departments to assess how we can move to an online assessment process for all other years of study, and they will be in contact with you to provide further information in this regard. All staff are working hard now to get this ready for you. We are committed to ensuring that all students can complete their academic programme and graduate or progress on time. You should continue to work on any assessments that have already been set. We strongly advise you to continue with your studies and revision as normal.”

All first year examinations are cancelled

Post offer visit days and widening participation residentials will be delivered online

University transport 🚌BUS UPDATE🚌

As of this Sunday (March 22nd) First Bus will be changing their timetables to account for developments in Covid-19.

Please check below and plan accordingly if you need to travel, but in general try and avoid travelling as much as possible

University Updates (19.03.2020) - from Vice-Chancellor Charlie Jeffrey

Students who are in a position to do so are encouraged to leave campus for home.

“we strongly advise that all students, who are in a position to do so, consider leaving student accommodation on campus and returning home. If you are living in accommodation elsewhere in the city, you may also wish to consider the implications of possible future Government advice as the situation evolves. As our International Pathways College (IPC) have also moved to online teaching, the information in this email is also applicable to our IPC community.”

For students who will remain on campus due to personal reasons or travel restrictions the university will remain your home.

“For those of you who have no option other than to remain on campus for personal reasons or due to travel restrictions, the University of course remains your home. It is our absolute priority to do all that we can to support your health and wellbeing. We will continue to support and maintain essential facilities and services. We are following Government advice, however, which means many of our staff are working from home and we are not able to maintain a full range of services. Rest assured, the small number of staff remaining on campus remain dedicated and focused on supporting you, if you have to stay.”

On self isolating:

“If you are self-isolating, you must continue to follow Government guidance and stay in your accommodation until you have recovered, in line with self-isolating requirements. People who are self-isolating must not use taxis or public transport.”

On rental agreements:

“We also know that many of you have asked questions about rental agreements. We are considering these issues and we will be in touch with further updates.”

The library will be closed from 5pm on March 20th until further notice.

“Our Library will also close at 5pm on 20 March. This is a very fast moving situation and at this moment in time, we do not anticipate students returning to campus after the Easter break.”

Further details breakdown of information

Returners:

SIA flight priority: Singapore Airlines is offering exclusive priority to Singaporean students in UK to book a flight back home Valid 19 - 31 Mar Register your interest at http://go.gov.sg/flyinghome2020. This link is only valid for Singaporean and Singapore PRs, requests made by non-singaporeans will be void Duplicated entries will also be void, so only enter 1 form. Special rate of travel is considered for this one-way flight, so it won’t be the one shown on the website, but do expect it to shoot up to around £1000, as these flights are still commercial flights and economic aspects are to be respected If you currently do not have a ticker, fill in the form with your preferred travel dates. SIA will do their best to book a seat on the first available flight within your preferences, or if it’s not possible the first available flight after the range of preferred dates If you already hold on to an SIA ticket due to depart by Mar 2020, SIA requests you hold on to your ticket and travel as the itinerary stated. If you are holding on to an SIA ticket due to depart in April 2020, please indicate on your form, as well as your preferred dates. SIA will do their best to book a seat on the first available flight within your preferences, or if it’s not possible the first available flight after the range of preferred dates. Fare differences may still apply unless waived under special circumstances For all cases, SIA will contact you based on your contact details at least 24 hours before your allocated flight should you be accepted. SIA reserves the right to rebook travel should operational circumstances change SIA reserves the right to release the seat if you are not contactable or unable to confirm upon contact with you If you happen to have flu-like symptoms before the flight, you are strongly advised to self-isolate This link provided is the fastest way to obtain a flight because it is directly facilitated by SGN and SIA.Stay Home Notices for all travellers from UK entering Singapore after 16 Mar SHN for all travellers from any country entering Singapore after 21 MarWhat is SHN? HEALTH ADVISORY FOR PERSONS ISSUED STAY-HOME NOTICE WHAT MUST BE DONE DURING THE STAY-HOME NOTICE PERIOD 14 day period of legally enforced stay in your place of residence, commencing on the day you touch down in Singapore (Day 0) and will lapse after day 14 You must provide a proof of address/stay during this period You are not allowed to leave the residence at all times even to buy food and essentials, however you can enlist the help of delivery services and/or others to help you with daily necessities. Avoid having visitors in your house, and minimise contact with others. Maintain a record of people you come into close contact with during the SHN period Monitor yourself for COVID-19 symptoms Fever ≥ 38°C Cough Breathlessness and/or other respiratory symptoms Observe good personal hygiene Regular hand washing with soap and water Do not touch your face Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing Maintain good indoor ventilation Do not share food, crockery, utensils, and other personal hygiene items Your family may continue to stay together with you, but ensure you observe good personal hygiene and refrain from close contact. Should you feel unwell during your 14 days seek medical attention immediately If you require medical attention while under SHN below lists important contacts Life threatening: call 995 directly for assistance Non life threatening: Contact people’s association at 63448222, do not show up at a healthcare provider unannounced. PA will assist you to make the necessary arrangements with the nearest Public Health Preparedness Clinic or GP clinic Inform the staff of your travel history and that you have been issued a SHN. Those who arrived before 16 Mar are advised to observe personal quarantine just in case. Penalties for non-compliance {first offence} fine not exceeding $10,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both {subsequent offences} fine not exceeding $20,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both If you would like to deliver food or supplies to someone under SHN, there is no need for masks or other protective equipment, and the delivery can be conducted in such a way as to minimise contact with the person under SHN SHN is a precautionary measure and persons under SHN are not close contacts of confirmed cases There have been observations of scam calls claiming to be enforcers of SHN, typically in chinese, please be careful. Extra accomodation to serve out SHN SGN has compiled a list of hotels that offer special rates for singaporeans during SHN https://docs.google.com/document/d/197SwJ8Sm3s0zU9tHu7cJNVTgiznIxjAXeC6RCvW4gCg/mobilebasicAccess to university materials outside of UKhttps://www.york.ac.uk/students/news/2020/take-uni-home-easter/ You can access e-book versions to all new books that are available online, and you can also access other university libraries over the holiday with the SCONUL scheme Log on as though on a managed PC and access filestore and software using the Virtual Desktop Service Access the university network when you are off campus through the Virtual Private Network (VPN) Packing your accommodationTo those returning to Singapore and will not be remaining in your current accommodation in your next school year please please remember to pack up and put your stuff into storage or discuss with your landlord on what action should be taken to avoid issues of moving amidst the current situation Some storage companies to consider: Pickfords: pickfords self store 4 James St, Layerthorpe, York YO10 3WW, United Kingdom Love space: https://lovespace.co.uk/ Inner Space station: https://innerspacestations.com/ 56 Layerthorpe, York, YO31 7YW Phone Number: 01904 21 77 77 Opening Hours:

• Monday to Saturday: 8am-6pm

• Sunday: 9am-1pm

If you need help moving your things into storage contact the storage companies for moving options or alternatively please try calling Streamline Cab Services:

• 01904 656565

Tier 4 info Info from international student support (immigration@york.ac.uk)Since all studies will be conducted online in the next term, UKVI has relaxed its usual rules. This means you can stay at home out of the country until september and your visa will not be affected. Students do not need to complete a form on e:vision to leave (FAQ page) Library books As the Library is closing on 20 March, all library loans will be automatically renewed. No requests will be allowed so you can keep the books for as long as possible. The library will also waive all fines accrued since Monday 9 March as a goodwill gesture in these uncertain times

Remainers:

Boris Johnson introduces tougher measures for the UK Coronavirus: UK action plan Coronavirus: PM says everyone should avoid office, pubs and travelling Stringent measures & drastic action introduced: Vulnerable due to be shielded from social contact for up to 12 weeks UK case numbers are 3 weeks behind Italy, and cases in reality could exceed 10,000 Households are highly advised to stay at home for 14 days even if just 1 family member shows symptoms and are advised to avoid leaving the house even to buy food and essentials People should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres, and other social venues to minimise social interaction and refrain from non-essential travel All schools in the UK to close from 20 Mar to further notice People in self-isolation are currently not being tested, priority is given to hospital patients with respiratory symptoms Supermarket limiting sales The following supermarkets and stores have introduced the following grocery restrictions to avoid community stockpiling: Tesco: 3 each for any product, toilet roll and paracetamol 2 of each for each customer Sainsbury: 3 of any item per customer, 2 of each for more popular items like toilet paper, soap and long life milk Waitrose: restricting on-demand items online ASDA: 3 of each food, toiletry or cleaning products per customer ALDI: 4 of each item per customer for all products Ocado: app and website has shut down until 21 Mar 🚌YORK BUS UPDATE🚌As of this Sunday (March 22nd) First Bus will be changing their timetables to account for developments in Covid-19. Please check below and plan accordingly if you need to travel, but in general try and avoid travelling as much as possible. CITY & UNIVERSITY SERVICES Sundays: Will operate a normal Sunday service until 2000, after which evening services on 1, 4, 6, 66 will operate at hourly intervals. Monday – Friday: Will operate a Saturday Service with additional early morning journeys Monday to Friday, evening services on 1, 4, 6, 66 will operate at hourly intervals after 2000. Saturday: Will operate a normal Saturday service until 2000, after which evening services on 1, 4, 6, 66 will operate at hourly intervals. First are advising customers to check for updates on the First York Twitter feed and the company’s website https://www.firstgroup.com/york which also has customer information about Coronavirus. Detailed times will be published shortly.advisory for Singaporean students studying overseas (MFA) 170320_Advisory for Singaporean Students Studying OverseasSingaporean students studying overseas encouraged to consider returning home soon For those who have yet to return home, or will not be returning home, please observe the following: Take all necessary precautions, observe good personal hygiene, monitor local developments, and heed advice of local authorities eRegister with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) at the earliest opportunity to enable MFA to contact you should the need arise Ensure you have continued access to medical facilities near you and that you have the appropriate health insurance coverage. Be prepared that these medical facilities may become overwhelmed and may not be able to provide the same level of care and support as in Singapore Should you require any assistance while overseas, please contact your educational institutions, student associations the nearest Singapore Overseas Mission or the Singapore Global Network (hello@singaporeglobalnetwork.com) for guidance The ministry of education may also be contacted at contact@moe.gov.sg Self-isolating in UKStaying at Home Guidance published by Public Health England If you live alone and you have symptoms of coronavirus illness (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms started. If you live with others and you or one of them have symptoms of coronavirus, then all household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill Anyone in the household who starts displaying symptoms needs to stay at home for 7 days from when the symptoms appeared, regardless of what day they are on in the original 14-day isolation period. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. You do not need to contact NHS 111 to tell them you're staying at home, but you should contact the University (see below). If your symptoms worsen during isolation or are no better after seven days, contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999. If you are a student on campus and you have an emergency please call (01904) 32 3333 (3333 from a university extension). If you are self isolating, please inform the Student Hub by filling in the student self-isolation form. The information you provide will be shared with relevant teams within the University to support you, including your academic department. If you have any problems completing the form, please email student-hub@york.ac.uk Nisa provides campus delivery services

• Step one: Place your order

  • You can place you order by emailing nisa@york.ac.uk (no age restricted products will be sold)

  • All you have to do is detail what you would like to purchase

  • This service will deliver to all parts of campus (we are unable to deliver off campus)

  • You need to include the postcode and house number the payment card is registered to

  • Please also include a phone number so that we can call to confirm and take payment

• Step two: we will call and take payment over the phone

• Step three: we will deliver your order.

  • Orders placed by 12pm will be delivered the same day

  • Deliveries will arrive between 2pm and 3pm

  • Orders received after 12pm will be delivered the next day

Please only make use of this service if you are self isolating. Singapore @ UK community askSingaporeans in the UK, fill in this form if you: 1) Need assistance of any kind (storage, accommodation, etc.) 2) Are able to offer assistance of any kind This form has been created by Singaporean’s for Singaporean’s in case assistance is required. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSew46Phd8mzdqopO5G8377xx-gO5qM5DvrWvG0-eochqlNgqg/viewform?fbclid=IwAR3042dVIu48KgXPFqAHlavWsKtPpQsTJFJX5UylAgQBmo5Ry4whs8yST0k Responses for matching can be found here: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OQ9SFRzbwGdvK4L2THSHdJ4kxu80ppU1ckUOPdlvAng/edit?usp%3Dsharing&sa=D&ust=1584643558010000&usg=AFQjCNGWXOZeW_jLR88pK4RIMjX6GTcvFA