Breaking: One whole Northfield block is self isolating after positive Covid test

This afternoon in a Freshers’ group chat for Northfield, it was revealed that some blocks are currently self isolating following reports of a student who tested positive for coronavirus.

One Fresher who is currently living in block 18 has stated that they are one of the students who is isolating, they exclusively told The Sussex Tab: “It was a positive test and we have like eleven days left because we have already done three.”

This follows after Vice-Chancellor Adam Tickell’s email to students at the University where he revealed there are less than a handful of cases at Sussex University currently. As well as following after today’s news of a mobile testing unit coming to campus and staying until Sunday.

The Fresher currently living in Northfield, who wishes to remain anonymous, told The Sussex Tab they feel like the university has done “nothing” to help. They revealed: “Nothing to be honest, they didn’t even like try to help us get a test or anything.

“They have been proper bad, the residential team didn’t even provide a phone number for us and call us on “no caller ID” so we can’t even contact them back. It is really poor. They didn’t even try to give us a courier to take the test to a postbox which meant we had to try and sort that all ourselves which lead to one of the tests being void because they gave it to us too late.”

Some of the students living in Block 18 told The Sussex Tab they are currently writing an open letter which expresses their disappointment in the university.

A spokesperson from the University has told The Sussex Tab: “If a student or any member of the public tests positive for Covid-19, then, by law, all members of that household are required to self-isolate.  The University is providing details to all students and staff each week on the number of cases.  We have sent all students a link to our dashboard with the information on current cases (as of 30 September 2020).

“To protect the personal data of students and staff it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment on individual cases, as we need to focus first and foremost on their welfare.  We are concerned to hear about any students who are expressing concern about what to do, and we encourage them to email our Residential Life Team, leaving your phone number ([email protected]) as soon as possible, so we can provide advice and support.  We have a wide range of guidance on the Student Hub for students who are having to self-isolate.”

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