NUI Galway student tests ‘negative’ for coronavirus

A NUI Galway student who was tested for coronavirus on Monday has been confirmed as negative.

The female student presented themselves to the Student Health Unit on Monday and was triaged before being tested by the HSE.

This comes as NUIG ramps up preparations for the event that the university has to close due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The university has said that they are continuing to monitor “developments on a daily basis”, and are planning for any disruption to the activities of the university community. These include a move toward a partial or full closure of the campus, and the use of online lectures.

A letter from the university sent to students stated:

“We are preparing to switch to an online mode of learning and assessment in the event that the campus has to be partially or fully closed following consultation with the HSE, the HEA and other relevant authorities.”

NUI Galway have yet to change their plans for the rest of the semester, with the university continuing to operate as normal.

The university also intend to adhere “to the exam schedule as far as is possible.” However, NUI Galway do not rule out that written exams may need to be replaced with an alternative end of semester assessment.

Information on the university’s activities and position on coronavirus can be found on the NUI Galway Alerts webpage. Additionally, the Student Health Unit have issued advice on how best to protect yourself from contracting coronavirus.

Yesterday, Trinity College Dublin announced that all lectures would be moving online as the college closed several indoor spaces.