University announces blueprint to keep students and St Andrews residents safe

All students will be given comprehensive advice and will have take to take a new compulsory module before the new term starts.

Advice includes wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport, and observing physical distancing. Students are also asked not to keep a car in the town to limit pressure on access and parking.

Students in halls of residence, who need to quarantine on arrival in the UK, will be provided with free accommodation by the university for the self-isolation period.

A spokesman for the university said: “The permanent population of St Andrews is approximately 8000 people and around 1000 of these residents are over 80 years old.

“We remain conscious of the vulnerability of our elderly population, and will do all we can to ensure a safe town environment and support their access to services.

“Our students know that they can make a significant contribution to the safety and wellbeing of fellow students and our wider community. Any individual who repeatedly fails to follow government guidance, or fails to show respect for our community, should expect the university to investigate under our non-academic misconduct policy.”

The university will also re-establish its Covid Helpdesk for students and staff, providing fast advice and information.

Debbie MacCallum, chair of Tourism St Andrews, welcomed the advice to students. She said: “We are working closely with the university to ensure the message of the Stay Safe Campaign is shared widely with all students including leaflets in the welcome packs for all new students.”

New St Andrews Students’ Association president Dan Marshall added: “Our message is clear that as students, we all have a responsibility to be respectful of and to protect our local community and closely following the guidance is a major part of that.”