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What to do if you develop symptoms

Oxford University has put in place an in-house COIVD-19 testing facility which is available to all members of staff of the University and Colleges, and to all Oxford University students from Wednesday 9th September.

The main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:
  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

If you develop any of the symptoms please book a test immediately: this means using the University Early Alert Testing Service. You will need to self-isolate until your receive your result (and for a longer period according to government guidelines if your test is positive).

Any student who develops symptoms and is booking a test should also inform the College immediately by email to porters.lodge@pmb.ox.ac.uk: please see our flowchart for full information on the actions you should take and the support you can expect to receive. 

While you wait for a test, and for test results, you must self-isolate. For students resident in College this means you must stay in your room, and not have visitors.  This is really important to make sure that we control the spread of coronavirus and protect others in our community.  If there is a risk that you might pass the virus to others please respect these isolation guidelines to ensure other students, and staff, are not put at risk.

It is very important that you know your NHS number.  This will be needed to allow you to access testing.  Please make sure you find your number, or register for one, before arrival at College.