SUPPORT AND ADVICE FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS

Nido Student is a Property Management Company, which means that we manage properties on behalf of many private owners and landlords. Our priority is and will always be the wellbeing of the people who live with us, and we work incredibly hard to ensure that our residents are safe and well.

Despite having many stakeholders, we work closely with each one to advise and make the necessary recommendations, so that collectively we can do the right thing for our residents.

We are who we are because of our residents, and they are always at the heart of everything we do.

Our top priority remains the health, safety and wellbeing of our students and our teams, and we continue to be committed to providing our Nido community with the support and service you require as we deal with the impacts of this pandemic together. Our residences remain open and operating safely according to the NHS, PHE and government advice. Nido continues to be your home, and our dedicated residence teams are available to help support you and all our residents who continue to live with us.

We have created a COVID-19 FAQ to support and advise the students who live with us and their parents, which can be found below. The FAQs will be updated regularly, we advise you to revisit this page for the latest information.

If you have any further questions, or require any additional support, please do not hesitate to email your residence team directly.

Last updated: 03.04.2020

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1) COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.

2) Based on current evidence, symptoms include fever (high temperature), a continuous cough, chest tightness or shortness of breath.

3) The NHS advises the following:

Do

  • Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
  • Always wash your hands when you get home or into work
  • Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
  • Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
  • Avoid close contact with people who have symptoms of coronavirus
  • Work from home, if you can
  • Stay at home. Only go outside for food or health reasons, and stay 2 metres away from other people. Bars, pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas, museums, galleries, spas, leisure centres and gyms are currently shut 
  • Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using technology
  • Use phone, online services, or apps to contact your GP surgery or other NHS services

Don’t

  • Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
  • Do not have visitors to your home, including friends and family
  • Do not use public transport

4)

Stay at home if you have either:

  • a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
  • a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.

Testing for coronavirus is not needed if you’re staying at home.

Please let a member of the Nido residence know immediately (preferably via phone) if you have symptoms of coronavirus and need to self-isolate. We can provide you with the advice and the support you will require during this time.

How long to stay at home

  • If you have symptoms, stay at home for 7 days
  • If you live with other people, they should stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person got symptoms
  • If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.

Read the NHS advice about staying at home.

Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:

  • you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
  • your condition gets worse
  • your symptoms do not get better after 7 days

Use the 111 coronavirus service

Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

5) Staying at home means you should: 

  • Not go to work, university or public areas 
  • Not use public transport or taxis 
  • Not have visitors, such as friends and family, in your home 
  • Not go out to buy food or collect medicine – order them by phone or online, or ask someone else to drop them off at your home 

You can use your garden, if you have one. You can also leave the house to exercise once a day – but stay at least 2 metres away from other people. 

6) The most recent guidance on the NHS website says that the NHS will contact you from Sunday 29 March 2020 if you are at a particularly high risk of getting seriously ill with coronavirus. You’ll be given specific advice about what to do. Do not contact your GP or healthcare team at this stage – wait to be contacted.

7)

You may be at a particularly high risk of getting seriously ill with coronavirus if you:

  • Have had an organ transplant 
  • Are having certain types of cancer treatment 
  • Have blood or bone marrow cancer, such as leukemia 
  • Have a severe lung condition, such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma 
  • Have a condition that makes you much more likely to get infections 
  • Are taking medicine that weakens your immune system 
  • Are pregnant and have a serious heart condition 

If you’re at high risk, there are extra things you should do to avoid catching coronavirus.  These include: 

  • Not leaving your home – you should not go out to do shopping or visit friends or family 
  • Avoiding close contact with other people in your home as much as possible 

We are aware that a small number of our students have serious underlying health issues which could make them particularly vulnerable if they acquire coronavirus.  Please do let us know if you are concerned, and we can assess the support which can be provided to you.

Students may want to consult a doctor, however, because NHS services may be under pressure people are being encouraged to call NHS 111 in the first instance. The online coronavirus service, 111.nhs.uk/covid-19, can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.

Use the online NHS 111 service if:

  • ​You think you might have coronavirus
  • You’ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus

8) It is perfectly understandable that you might be anxious or worried about coronavirus and the impact it could have on your life, particularly because this might include being asked to stay at home or to avoid other people.

Mind has created a guide here focusing on staying mentally healthy in light of the current situation and we would encourage any students who feel concerned to read the information carefully.

The NHS has also issued the following advice to assist you in looking after your mental health by staying mentally and physically active during this time, such as: 

  • Look for ideas of exercises you can do at home   
  • Spend time doing things you enjoy – this might include reading, cooking, other indoor hobbies or listening to the radio or watching TV programmes 
  • Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and try to avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs 
  • Keep your windows open to let in fresh air, get some natural sunlight if you can, or get outside into the garden (where possible) 

You can also go for a walk or exercise outdoors once a day if you stay more than 2 metres from others. 

9) The UK Government is expecting and planning for the significant spread of the virus in the population, and that means it is likely there will be cases.

When we have a case or cases at one of our properties, we will act quickly and decisively to ensure those affected receive the appropriate support, guidance, and treatment and are able to self-isolate. We will also ensure all residents are given the appropriate information and advice to manage the risks. If we or Public Health England believe you have been in contact with a known case, you will be informed, and offered the appropriate support.

10)

The health safety and wellbeing of our students is our top priority.

An operational and strategic response group convenes daily, headed by our CEO Brian Welsh.  We are monitoring the situation closely and proactively following healthcare and government advice from the World Health Organization, Public Health England, the NHS, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to help ensure we are effectively managing the implications of coronavirus and responding as necessary.

Within our residences:

  • We are doing our best to keep a stock of hand sanitiser for you to use in each of our buildings. As you know there is a national shortage of this currently, but we are working hard to procure this for you and our teams where it may be running out
  • The best way to keep hands clean is by using soap and water, which we have available for you to use. We would encourage you to wash your hands frequently
  • Cleaning of all common areas is taking place daily, including weekends, at an increased frequency, with a focus on entry and exit buttons, lift buttons, door handles and high football areas
  • Posters with up to date advice and guidance are on display
  • Email communication with up to date advice and guidance sent regularly and posted on residence Facebook Groups
  • Where we have gyms in our residences, they will be closed until further notice due to the increased risk of spread from using the equipment
  • The common areas in our residences will be closed until further notice 
  • A new visitor questionnaire and sign-in will be required to ensure our guests do not have any symptoms which may put our community at risk
  • We are advising our students to avoid social gatherings
  • We have cancelled the Nido events programme (all the events are now online via Instagram Live)
  • We are only running virtual tours of the residences
  • We are reducing contact with residents and only dealing with essential maintenance items to minimise the risk of spread
  • Our receptions are closed, but a member of the residence team is available on site
  • We are following social distancing measures, and advising our residents and teams to keep 2m apart  
  • We recommend residents avoid ordering items to be delivered to reception, and are available to receive parcels directly from delivery drivers 
  • Only two people at a time should use the Laundry room, and residents should use Laundry View in the first instance to book machines and check the status of their laundry
  • We strongly recommend that all of our students follow the most recent guidance from the NHS, the World Health Organization and Public Health England

11) On the 26th March, the UK government advised that students remaining at university should now not attempt to travel home while current travel restrictions are in place. We ask that you continue to follow all government advice, the latest of which can be found here: gov.uk/coronavirus  

12) You still can stay on Nido.  As you will have seen, our residence remains open and operating safely according to the latest NHS, Public Health England and government advice.  Nido continues to be your home, and our dedicated residence team are available to help support you and all our residents who continue to live with us.

13) Whilst Nido continues to be your home, we understand that due to the circumstances surrounding Covid-19 you may have decided to move out.

We will contact you directly with further information on how we are able to assist you.  Please check your email and follow the instructions outlined.  If you do not hear from us, please email the residence team.

14) We understand many of you have already travelled home and are now worried about the belongings you’ve left behind. We wanted to give you an update on the additional coverage and new benefits we have added to your contents insurance together with our partners Endsleigh Insurance to give you peace of mind about your belongings. 

We know many of you had to leave your rooms quickly & suddenly and may not have taken all your possessions with you. Endsleigh have therefore waived the un-occupancy exclusion clause of 60 days and want to reassure you that student possessions will be covered under your policy for an unlimited period of time during the policy period.  

Further to that, if you move-out early or cancel your tenancy with us, and cannot yet arrange for collection of your things, Nido will arrange to store your belongings. Cover for your belongings will still apply in storage. This includes all valuables up to the limits and perils on your policy certificate. 

Although it is advised at the current time (March 2020) to stay put, if you can safely travel home in the coming weeks & months students will be covered by an additional benefit on their policy, namely in transit against theft for up to £500 per bag of possessions. This protection is in place anytime a student has to do this during the policy period. Cover only applies within the UK.  

Claims process: 

Claims can be registered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by reporting them online via www.endsleigh.co.uk/newclaims 

Endsleigh’s Claims Service is open five days a week, Monday to Friday 9:00am-5:30pm; Phone number – 0800 923 4042. This number will be directed to an out of hours support service outside of these times 

We hope this puts your mind at ease regarding your possessions, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding this. Please see our dedicated page on Contents Insurance for more details.  

14) The communal spaces are no longer accessible to students as a safety precaution following the government’s stay at home advice and social distancing guidance.

15) The Laundry room is still available for use, however, to protect your health and safety and ensure we adhere to the latest government social distancing measures, we advise the following: 

  • Use Laundry View to book machines and check the status of your washing/ drying before going to the Laundry room 
  • Only go to the Laundry room if you can see there are machines available and/ or your laundry is done 
  • Only 2 people should be in the Laundry room at any one time, and where possible they should maintain a suitable distance from each other 

16) You may still receive parcels, however, please note reception will be closed and we will not be collecting parcels on your behalf.  Please ensure you are available to receive parcels directly from delivery drivers. Following government guidance, we also advise you to do online food shopping, to ensure you can stay at home and keep safe.   

17) As a precaution, and in accordance with the government guidance we have cancelled our planned events for the time being. You will be notified when they recommence. However, we have developed a Virtual Events calendar which can be found on our Facebook Page – we hope to see you there!

18) In accordance with government guidance, we advise against having visitors to the residence.

19) Please ask them to read the information on these pages so they are familiar with the steps Nido Student is taking to limit the risk of coronavirus infection at our residences. Please keep in touch with them regularly to let them know you are OK.

20) We encourage you to draw on support you might have through your friends, family and other networks during this time. Try to stay in touch with those around you over the phone or online. Let people know how you would like to stay in touch and build that into your routine. This is also important in looking after your mental wellbeing and you may find it helpful to talk to them about how you are feeling.  Remember it is OK to share your concerns with others you trust and in doing so you may end up providing support to them too.  

21) We understand that this is a worrying time, and you may be feeling anxious about the safety of your child.  Rest assured that the health, safety and wellbeing of our students is our top priority.  We are continuing to update our protocol as the situation evolves and have put robust measures in place to minimise the risk of contracting coronavirus in our residences.   

The mental wellbeing of our students is just as important to us as their physical wellbeing.  We recognise that during this uncertain and challenging time, our students may be feeling anxious and stressed.  We are signposting them to professional resources on wellbeing, in addition to sharing our own content and ideas on how they can stay positive, active and connected.   

Please stay in close touch with your child. Encourage them to familiarise themselves with the information and advice available on these pages. Also ask them to check their email accounts regularly for any updates. 

We will continue to ensure they have the information and support they need, and would appreciate your support in also encouraging them to follow the latest advice and guidance from the NHS and the UK government.  

22) On the 26th March, the UK government advised that students remaining at university should now not attempt to travel home while current travel restrictions are in place. We ask that you continue to follow all government advice, the latest of which can be found here: gov.uk/coronavirus  

23)

Please consult and observe the latest advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) on travelling outside the UK. The current advice is to avoid “non-essential” travel.

Countries around the globe are imposing heightened health screenings on entry or exit at their borders and many have taken the decision to suspend travel/ entry to foreign nationals.

Several airlines are taking the decision to suspend flight operations to some destinations experiencing severe outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus and due to the decrease in demand for services are beginning to reduce flight schedules and cancel flights.

We strongly advise travellers to confirm their flight status in advance of travel, to allow additional time for immigration and health screenings at airports and check the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office entry requirements and updates for your destination.

24) Yes, we will continue to be open to all applications and will update our FAQs as new information becomes available. Please contact us directly if you have any further questions.

25) All viewings will be done virtually currently to minimise any risk, please contact the residence you are interested in directly to arrange a suitable time. You can also view our 360 tours on the website.

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