The College Health Service has suspended walk-in services due to the spread of the coronavirus, but booked appointments remain open as normal.
Trinity announced the news on Twitter this afternoon, advising students and staff with appointments that “if you are experiencing respiratory symptoms please contact College Health prior to attending your booked appointment”.
The measure is the latest in a number of steps College is taking to combat the spread of the coronavirus, including shutting down physical lectures for the rest of the semester and moving them online.
For now, most seminars, tutorials and labs are continuing to take place – with social distancing protocols in place – but several departments have opted to cancel them in person.
Yesterday, the College launched its strategic plan on a live stream, rather than in person, amid concerns around the spread of the virus.
As of yesterday, the Book of Kells, Science Gallery and Douglas Hyde are closed to the public. Prendergast wrote that “Notices of these closures will be posted online and at the main entrances to the college”, adding that the step – whose financial ramifications are unclear – is “being taken in the interests of your health and well-being and to decrease any potential impacts on the larger community”.
The College stopped admitting visitors from noon yesterday, in order to be able to shut at 1pm.
Students on Erasmus or international exchange are not being asked to return “at this time”, according to an email from Senior Tutor Aidan Seery on Monday.
Meanwhile, TheJournal.ie reported this morning that the closure of Trinity’s Book of Kells exhibition could cost the College up to €3 million.
The exhibition, reported to bring in around €12 million a year, closed to the public yesterday as College battles to combat the spread of coronavirus.
There’s no indication of when the exhibition – which shut down alongside the Science Gallery and Douglas Hyde – will re-open, and even three months’ closure could cause Trinity to lose out on up to €3 million ahead of tourist season.
A spokesperson for Trinity declined to discuss the financial cost of the closure, but said it was done for “health and safety reasons”.
