Technicians in the university’s engineering department are putting their skills to use by making visors for local NHS staff. In the first week of production, over 200 were produced.

Six of the university’s bioscientists have volunteered to boost coronavirus testing capacity at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough. They were trained in preparing specimens for swab tests and started helping medics on the frontline last week.

Finally in support of the NHS, the university has loaned five qPCR machines to North-East hospitals to speed up virus testing, including one that was bought specially to loan to University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham City.

With many students having left Durham, the university has made some of its college bedrooms available to “critical workers”, who would otherwise be unable to commute due to their shift patterns or the distances involved.

Researchers have also been offering advice on related topics, including how to avoid falling victim to a scam during covid-19 and how businesses can adapt to the radically different economic environment created by the outbreak.

The university has also been considering how it can support health and wellbeing during the crisis, both of staff and students and also local communities.

Advice on how to care for yourself through connecting with others, remaining active, “taking notice” including mindfulness, keeping learning and giving in support of others is available via the university’s website.

Adriana Salazar-Mendez, who by day works in the university’s IT department, is offering free virtual dance fitness classes two evenings each week via Facebook, and Lisa Opala, who is training to be a Church of England priest at Cranmer Hall, part of St John’s College, Durham, is now pioneering “telechaplaincy”.

An NHS Chaplain for the last four years, Ms Opala is currently based at James Cook University Hospital, where in addition to providing in-person spiritual support for Anglican patients, having been trained how to do so safely, she is also connecting patients of other faiths with their chaplain virtually via her smartphone.

“It was a great comfort to families who were not allowed to visit but knew someone was present with their loved ones in the final hours,” she said.

Students are getting involved in the effort. Kerry-Anne Hastings, a postgraduate education student and a member of Scotland’s women’s hockey squad, has started running “street aerobics” classes from her front garden in Edinburgh.

This means neighbours can take part from their own front gardens, while still observing the Government’s social distancing guidelines.

Jack Edwards, an English Literature undergraduate whose YouTube channel has 192,000 subscribers, is contributing to StudyTube, a YouTube project featuring daily videos to keep students and pupils educated and entertained while schools are closed.

Professor Claire O’Malley, who is leading the university’s response to coronavirus, said: “The covid-19 crisis has meant huge changes for us here at Durham University, and we have had to radically change the ways we work, undertake research and study.

“We’re working closely with others, including partner agencies, to contribute to the local, national and international fightback against the virus and to reinforce the important #StayHomeSaveLives messaging to our staff, students and the wider community.

“We’re proud to be putting our expertise and facilities to use to help our city, county and region at this testing time for all of us.”

For more information, visit www.durham.ac.uk/community/covid19support