Trinity has been in contact with all students currently on Erasmus exchange in Italy – where the rapid spread of the coronavirus has forced universities to close – but is not requiring them to return home, College has said.
As Ireland’s universities put contingency plans in place in the event of the virus spreading further here, Trinity has said that while some students have returned home from Italy, most have opted to stay.
Last night, Provost Patrick Prendergast confirmed that a member of Trinity has the virus in an email.
In an email statement to The University Times, Thomas Deane, a media relations officer in Trinity, said: “Trinity is not requiring students on Erasmus placement to return to Ireland but we have written to each of them individually in the last week asking them to inform us of the arrangements their host universities have made to ensure the successful completion of their academic programme, and to share information of their plans.”
Deane said: “All of our partner universities have made arrangements for the remaining teaching/learning and assessment to be completed online. As a result some Trinity students have returned to Ireland or the UK or other home countries in Europe, but most have elected to remain in Italy.”
“Those electing to return have been advised to follow the HSE and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade guidelines on arrival.”
Some four of the seven new cases confirmed in Ireland yesterday were associated with travel from northern Italy, as was the first “cluster case” of two males and two females from the same family.
In an email sent to staff and students last night, the provost wrote that the College was informed of a positive case of coronavirus “late on Thursday night”.
“We are now working closely with the authorities to ensure that this individual receives the best care possible”, Prendergast said.
“The HSE will trace anyone who has been in contact with the infected individual to ensure they receive any necessary medical attention”, he said.
“The HSE and University will now take all appropriate steps to contain any further spread of the virus and protect your welfare and the welfare of the University community.”
“The relevant part of the University (Floor 4 of the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute), and the lifts in TBSI, have been closed as a precautionary measure and will be cleaned in accordance with HSE guidelines.”
Trinity’s final-year medicine students may be forced to take crucial clinical assessments – worth up to 50 per cent of their marks for this year – a month early, amid fears that the spread of the coronavirus could make it impossible for them to sit the exams.
Final-year students were told this evening that their clinical exams, a crucial part of their degree, may begin in 11 days time – over a month before they were due to start.
Prof Joseph Hardiman, the director of undergraduate teaching and learning in the School of Medicine, wrote in an email statement to The University Times: “Nobody’s been moved anywhere yet but It’s likely we’re going to have to hold the clinical exams early and the most likely week is from 16th to 21st of March.”
However, he added, “this is dependent on us being able to organize an acceptable exam in that timescale”.
