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Trinity College Dublin has announced that most of its lectures will now be delivered online for the rest of the semester in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
As a result of the spread of the coronavirus, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has become the first major university in Ireland to temporarily close many of its facilities. In a statement, the university said that from tomorrow morning (11 March), all lectures will be delivered online for the rest of the semester rather than physically in lecture halls.
However, it said that tutorials, seminars and lab practicals will continue as usual, with additional social distancing protocols.
“This will slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus, but further measures may be necessary and these arrangements will be kept under continuous review,” the university said.
‘Both measures are being taken in the interests of the health and wellbeing of our students’
– TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
TCD also confirmed that some of its biggest tourist attractions will be closed to the public. Starting from today (10 March), the Book of Kells exhibition and Old Library, as well as the Science Gallery and the Douglas Hyde Gallery will be closed until further notice.
“Both of these measures are being taken in the interests of the health and wellbeing of our students and staff and to decrease any potential impacts on the larger community,” TCD said.
“The decisions are based on the concept of social distancing, which has been recommended by many experts. Our goal is to decrease the number of instances that lead to students, staff and visitors coming together in large groups in close proximity with each other.”
Earlier this month, TCD provost Patrick Prendergast confirmed the university’s first case of coronavirus and said that it was working with authorities to trace anyone who had been in contact with the infected individual.
Elsewhere, it’s believed an employee at Apple’s plant in Cork has contracted the virus after feeling unwell last week. A number of employees have been asked to self-isolate as a precaution, according to an email sent to staff.
