Practical impacts during Autumn return to campus
Last minute changes to accommodation, travel plans and academic timetabling. Challenges of accessing basic supplies and help with everyday living. Shift to online learning modality. Pandemic impacts on academic studies (e.g., halted laboratory work and research). Greater impacts for those without social supports and social networks.
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Emotional impacts during Autumn return to campus
Fear, worry, anxiety, guilt, low mood are widespread. Some reports of food insecurity. However, students do not feel unsafe being at university during the pandemic.
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Risk perceptions
Those with prior experience of COVID-19 (virus/self-isolation) feel more at risk. Vulnerable groups (pre-existing conditions) feel more at risk. Most students worry more about risks to others than themselves.
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Engagement in protective behaviours (social distancing, self-isolation)
Timeliness of communications will influence behaviour. Presentation of communications is important—‘one-size-does-not-fit-all’. Environmental and structural factors play a role in social distancing on campus. Desire for social contact is strong and can override perceived risk and regulations. Primary reason for seeking social contact/breaking self-isolation is to avoid or mitigate the emotional impacts of social isolation.
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Mass asymptomatic testing on campus
Students are receptive to mass asymptomatic testing. Testing is seen as a mechanism for getting control over the virus. Availability of testing on campus enhances students’ perceptions of safety. Reports of convenience, accessibility and positive experience around testing. Most students would adhere to social behaviour guidelines whether the test result is +ve or –ve. Risk of ‘perceived immunity’ and breaking self-isolation rules but only in a minority. Barriers to testing are primarily emotional factors associated with self-isolation (e.g., guilt about the impact of self-isolation on others, and fear of the mental health impact of self-isolation).
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Broader and longer-term impacts of COVID-19
This pandemic will have long-term impacts on student experience and satisfaction. Coping with social isolation is harder for students without established social networks. Social contact is intrinsically tied to students’ emotional wellbeing. Some students fear for the future, and many have sustained mental health concerns that will need to be addressed.
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Recommendations
Practical and emotional impacts of a pandemic are significant and need to be accounted for when assessing student engagement in studies and academic progress. Action plans are needed to ensure equitable mobilisation of basic supplies for students living on and off campus, in the face of another pandemic. Clear statements are required on expectations of student behaviour. Guidance on pandemic-related social behaviour and testing needs to be regular, rapid and inclusive—‘one size does not fit all’ for messaging. Providers should consider incentives for compliance, and disincentives for non-compliance such as the use of disciplinary measures in serious cases. Implementation of mass testing programmes requires significant support in place for students who might be required to self-isolate to minimise the risk of virus transmission. Practical, social and emotional support needs of self-isolating students should therefore be identified and should take into account the needs of marginalised groups. Supportive services should seek to enhance social connectedness, inclusion and positive mental wellbeing. Universities need to prepare for the longer-term impact of pandemic-related mental ill-health on support and welfare services.
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