Cases of Covid-19
Key information and what you will need to do if you think you, or someone else, may have Covid-19.
Symptoms of Covid-19 and stay-at-home advice
The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are the recent onset of:
- a new continuous cough and/or
- a high temperature and/or
- loss of taste or smell
Further information can be found on the NHS Inform webpage.
The advice for staff and students is to stay at home if you feel unwell. Avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection such as Covid-19 and do this until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) or until you feel better.
If you have a positive Covid-19 test result, stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test, or from the day your symptoms started (whichever was earlier). You should count the day after you took the test as day 1.
Students should follow their normal School absence process.
Line managers no longer need to record Covid as a reason for staff absence due to illness.
Covid-19 testing
Free Covid-19 testing has now ended for the general public. If any contact tracing is required in local communities or in response to specific outbreaks in the future, this will be managed by NHS Health Protection Teams.
Lateral flow tests
Although you are no longer advised to take lateral flow tests, we are aware staff and students may test themselves for reassurance. If you receive a positive test result, please follow the 'stay at home' advice given above.
If you become ill with Covid-19 symptoms on campus
Anyone who becomes ill on campus should make their way home safely as soon as they can. Many areas have first aid rooms or quiet rooms where you can wait to be picked up or until your chosen mode of transport is departing.
Students should follow their normal School absence process.
Staff should ensure their line manager is aware that they are leaving because they are unwell.
Contact tracing
Contact tracing is the process for identifying people who are at risk of Covid-19 infection because they've had contact with a person who has tested positive. These people will be given advice to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
If any contact tracing is required in local communities or in response to specific outbreaks in the future, this will be managed by NHS Health Protection Teams.
If there are any implications for the University, the NHS Lothian Health Protection Team will contact the Health and Safety Department directly to discuss further actions.