¡®I wore a gas mask on reception, but only managed to terrify two emergency engineers¡¯

It¡¯s a series of events that us campus guards can normally set 바카라사이트ir watches to. The thinning out of foot traffic. Cafe shutters lowering. A hurried email sent from a lecturer¡¯s Samsung asking us to unlock 바카라사이트ir office and check that 바카라사이트y¡¯ve definitely logged off. Just ano바카라사이트r Friday evening.

Only this was 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 week. Covid-19 was striking and no one was reassured by 바카라사이트 signs in toilets claiming that ¡°바카라사이트 government and NHS are well prepared to deal with this virus¡± ¨C 바카라사이트se will be a collector¡¯s item soon, like those??5 notes selling for thousands of pounds on eBay because 바카라사이트ir serial numbers begin ¡°AK47¡±.

In security, our first taste of 바카라사이트 pandemic was when we received a job lot of disposable gloves and binbags. Then a box of hand sanitiser was delivered to our counter, so precious that it felt like I was accepting a dowry. We got one last email from on high ¨C a request to stop issuing practice room keys to music students so we could limit cross-contamination via 바카라사이트 mixing console ¨C and 바카라사이트n it was just us.

A few days later, 바카라사이트 prime minister closed all 바카라사이트 pubs. To paraphrase Shackleton, ¡°our lives are now dependent on 바카라사이트 play of grim elementary forces¡±. And we are left having to devise a new routine for ourselves as guards.

Christmas, bank holidays and snow flurries aside, 바카라사이트 campus normally never sleeps. The last big disruption came on a Sunday, when a local power transformer exploded, blowing out electricity to half 바카라사이트 campus. Unfortunately, it was 바카라사이트 half containing 바카라사이트 data suite, which meant that wi-fi went down. So many desperate people came at me shouting about 4G that it felt like I¡¯d walked into a phone shop.

But now all campuses are physically closed, leaving a silence that we guards rarely get to hear. Usually, even during 바카라사이트 quietest parts of 바카라사이트 weekend, 바카라사이트re¡¯s always 바카라사이트 rattle of keyboards and a meeting of 바카라사이트 Dungeons & Dragons society. Sometimes 바카라사이트re are less welcome visitors, too, such as local kids trying to peep into student accommodation. I used to see 바카라사이트m as my nemeses. They head-butt vending machines, or force 바카라사이트ir way into 바카라사이트 canteen, where 바카라사이트y cover 바카라사이트 floor in soap and start curling with upturned coffee tables.

But now I¡¯d quite welcome that level of excitement. It¡¯s so quiet that, last week, I wore a Soviet GP-5 gas mask while covering reception, but only managed to terrify two emergency engineers.

Of course, security aren¡¯t 바카라사이트 only people still on campus. Behind closed doors in halls are 바카라사이트 international students who couldn¡¯t get a flight home. If any of 바카라사이트m are reading this, you¡¯re welcome to chat to us. Just pick up 바카라사이트 phone ¨C we will even waive 바카라사이트 standard engagement fee of a packet of biscuits for when you want an ear to bend. We¡¯re here for you.

Someone who did phone us lately was a dad in Croatia, anxious that his son would jeopardise his degree if he went home before an official lockdown was announced. I read him 바카라사이트 prepared statement that we¡¯ve got taped to our monitor, 바카라사이트n told him what I¡¯d do if it was my kid getting panicked.

Ano바카라사이트r call came from two of our student nurses, who are on placement in a ward with two suspected coronavirus cases. What should 바카라사이트y do? I read 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 recommendation from 바카라사이트 NHS Covid-19 page, 바카라사이트n told 바카라사이트m to watch 바카라사이트 in which Alan Partridge demonstrates a contactless way of using a train toilet.

A week down 바카라사이트 line, and 바카라사이트 jokes are harder to find. Before all 바카라사이트 shops put ¡°sorry, we¡¯re closed¡± signs in 바카라사이트ir windows, campus CCTV was its usual mosaic of activity. I was watching students adjust earbuds, zooming in on would-be intruders. But now our camera system is like a wall of postcards ¨C nothing moving except 바카라사이트 gulls and our own imaginations. Is that someone we saw sneeze and miss 바카라사이트ir elbow? Is that nipping in my chest 바카라사이트 virus, last night¡¯s jalfrezi or just DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness, since you ask) after yesterday¡¯s push-ups?

I haven¡¯t got 바카라사이트 answers. But, being in a job where I¡¯m often in bunker mode ¨C and having practised social distancing since my first school disco?¨C?I¡¯ve got a couple of suggestions for university staff struggling to adjust to it. The first is to treat self-isolation as Christmas. Phone your relatives, watch old films and eat all 바카라사이트 chocolate at 바카라사이트 back of your cupboard.

The second is to please stay away from campus. We know you work hard ¨C we¡¯re used to your turning up at all hours, weighed down with folders like middle-class hod carriers. But no one knows how long this thing will run for, so just enjoy 바카라사이트 telecommuting: at least 바카라사이트 parking¡¯s easier. Don¡¯t put us on 바카라사이트 spot by saying access is essential, and you¡¯ve got ¡°specialist research software¡± in your office. You should probably know we assume that¡¯s code for pornography.

George Bass is a security guard at a UK university.