A rapid response team to deal with any suspected coronavirus infection has been unveiled by St Andrews University.
New measures setting out expectations on mask wearing, social distancing, self-isolation and respecting public health guidance are designed to provide reassurance when hundreds of students return to the Fife town on September 14.
St Andrews residents will be given a single point of contact for reporting any incidents and the team will also provide rapid assistance with contact tracing.
The news comes after the Scottish Government announced plans to open the country’s first walk-in testing centre in the town centre.
Townspeople and university staff have previously expressed fears over safety when students arrive from all over the world.
North East Fife Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said the government must back up the measures by ensuring all international students are tested on arrival and again after five days.
Any student who has a place in university halls and is required to quarantine on arrival in the UK is being given two weeks free accommodation by the university, which is also recruiting a team of student ambassadors to promote safe behaviour.
Principal, Professor Sally Mapstone, said: “The walk-in test centre and the university’s covid rapid response team are two good examples of how shared resources and social responsibility can help keep St Andrews safe.
“I recognise there are anxieties in St Andrews about the return of our students and I want to assure our neighbours that we take those concerns seriously and have put in place a raft of measures to address them.
“This is a new experience for everyone and we are learning as we go.
“We won’t always get it right first time but with support and feedback from our students, staff and local community, I am confident we have the opportunity to model how collective responsibility can ensure community safety.”
Students’ association president Dan Marshall said 15,000 copies of the Covid code are being printed and every student will receive one.
They are also being made available to local businesses and organisations.
“Breaches of the guidance, whether on university property or around the town, will be treated as a disciplinary matter,” he said.
Mr Rennie said: “The Scottish Government needs to back them up with tests for the hundreds of international students about to arrive in the town.
“The First Minister told me this week that a revised policy for universities would be published on Tuesday.
“If it does not include the expanded testing policy I support, I think it will be taking an unnecessary risk with our safety.
“We welcome the students from all over the world and have a duty to keep them safe.”
Nicola Sturgeon said students from high risk countries will be required to quarantine for 14 days, whatever the final decision on testing.
Members of the public can contact the university’s Covid helpdesk for advice or to report concerns on 01334 464146 or email covidhelp@st-andres.ac.uk
