New Coronavirus strains ‘Stratus’ and ‘Nimbus’ have taken their toll on the UK and show no signs of slowing down. The variants are described as highly transmittable, meaning they spread faster than earlier Covid-19 strains, according to Stonybrook Medicine.
The strains mean many symptoms make their return, like persistent fatigue, severe sore throats, a mild cough, nasal problems and muscle aches.
There has been an increasing amount of illnesses at Kingston University amongst student and staff alike. An individual affected by the new strain, pregnant lecturer Emma Day, said: “It felt like a cold that I just couldn’t shake. I felt horrendous for ten days straight.”
The university stepped up when the pandemic struck in 2020, with links to community organisations and the Kingston council; vaccination clinics, internship programmes and production of protective equipment were set up to help advance knowledge in health for vital workers and overall social regeneration.
The university this year implemented a new attendance policy, meaning all courses are designed with attendance as a key learning factor for students and align with assessment strategies put in place.
A student who was hit by the virus after lectures once again started, Edward G Fleming, said: “I felt like I was dying, but I had to go in because I get an email saying they (Kingston University) are watching my attendance if I’m ill.”
In cases of international students, it is important that they meet engagement and attendance requirements set by both UK visas and immigration (UKVI) and Kingston University.
Emma said: “I’ve had at least one student a class per email and say they feel terrible.”
According to the Royal College of GP’s, rates of Covid across the UK are increasing in the young and elderly. With free Covid booster criteria being tightened this year, only people aged 75 and older qualify for a free booster, along with young people with weakened immune systems.
Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist told the BBC: “Coronavirus is under control at the moment, but we’ve got to keep an eye on it,” along with a warning that the UK will most certainly see another pandemic at some point in the future.
After the pandemic in 2019, a Covid inquiry was put in place to assess UK’s response to and the impact of Covid 19 after the first report said there were flawed preparations that caused irreversible damage.
