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Temperature scanners help ensure campuses are Covid-secure

Temperature scanners help ensure campuses are Covid-secure

Buckinghamshire New University has taken the latest steps in preparing for the return of students to its COVID-secure campuses by installing temperature scanners to ensure the safety of its community.

The scanners are at the University's campuses in High Wycombe, Uxbridge and Aylesbury and it has taken further measures by equipping lecturers and staff with handheld forehead scanners.

Professor Nick Braisby, Vice-Chancellor, said: "We continue to do everything we can to ensure our campuses are COVID-secure.

"We are looking forward to welcoming our students back on our campuses and resuming day-to-day university life once again and want them to know they are studying in a safe and secure environment.

"We are taking these and other measures to provide reassurance to our students, staff and visitors, and reduce the risk of onward transmission of the virus."

Among the other precautions the University has taken are:

- Screens at receptions, help desks and catering counters;

- Reducing capacity in teaching spaces to allow for social distancing

- Clear social distance signage around all of the University's buildings

- Frequent cleaning at all locations throughout each day and ready supplies of sanitiser

- Providing appropriate Personal Protective equipment for activities that require close contact

- Providing staff and students with reusable washable face coverings

At the University's Uxbridge Campus, Professor Karen Buckwell-Nutt, Head of School for Nursing and Allied Health, was among a team of staff on hand to welcome students back this week with temperature checking on arrival and University-branded face masks.

Karen also gave a safety briefing in a welcome to 73 new students, studying postgraduate Adult and Mental Health Nursing.

She said: "We have worked extremely hard to make the campus COVID-secure, ensuring we have met Government guidelines by ensuring students and staff have completed risk assessments.

"We all have a collective responsibility to support each other and whilst our students are entering their studies for the profession during unprecedented times there is also a lot that the NHS has learnt from it.

"Our students and staff have been amazing throughout the COVID-19 crisis and I am so proud.

At High Wycombe, Owen Lord, Head of Admissions, is among staff who have used the scanners.

He said: "It is really quick and easy and gives a clear result very quickly.

"It’s reassuring that this will be at the main entrance so all visitors to site can be checked for a high temperature on arrival."

As part of its commitments to do the right thing by students, Bucks New University is also offering free accommodation to students who, due to circumstances beyond their control, require somewhere to stay before starting their actual accommodation contracts.

As Government advice around travel from various countries changes rapidly, the University is ensuring its students are kept up-to-date with developments.

The University has worked with Bucks Students' Union to develop a new accommodation package for all new, returning and graduating and alumni students for 2020/21. Recognising the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, the University has reduced its accommodation charges by 10-30%, with rooms in its COVID-secure student accommodation starting at £80 per week.