Going back to university??

[nostaples]

Does anybody know if this is allowed. DD1 says all her friends are going back but I don't think they're supposed to. I suppose they can't be stopped though?

DS2 is about to go back. He is paying rent on a private flat though so I don't see why he shouldn't. All his flat mates are heading back today too.

Well, this is why:

''Your university will tell you when to go back. Until then, we strongly encourage you to remain where you are and access your course online wherever possible. If you do need to return, let your university know so that they can support you.

DFE has already published guidance to universities and students on returning to higher education in the spring termExternal link (Opens in a new tab or window). This guidance sets out how DFE will support universities to enable students to return as safely as possible following the winter break, by staggering this process and facilitating testing for all.''

officeforstudents.org.uk/for-students/student-guide-to-coronavirus/returning-to-university-in-2021/

DS2 who started a Master's last Sept but didn't take up accommodation because it was all online, was supposed to be returning to face to face lectures after Xmas. That won't now be happening as he's not on one of the specified courses.
At least we're not paying for accommodation though, thankfully, although he's totally fed up living with us, poor thing!

Well, this is why:

Well, no it isn't. That doesn't say "do not go back" at all.

The .gov.U.K. Guidance says If you live at university, you should not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time.. He isn't moving back and forth, he is going back to where he pays rent and is staying there.

@nostaples I think that is really only enforceable for those living in uni run accommodation. Dd is at a Scottish uni so different rules will apply.

It's on the news now. Students are 'strongly encouraged to remain where you are' i.e. not to go back. But 'strongly encouraged' does not mean have to. Bloody mess. Students travelling back to university will certainly spread the virus. The students dd knows who have already gone back or who are on the way have no intention of not mixing. On the other hand, their urge is completely understandable. It will be virtually impossible to be the only student to do the right thing when nobody else is.

Unis had been asked to have a testing regime but that was voluntary.

Unis had been asked to have a testing regime but that was voluntary.

Loads of people are already back at my DC’s university-they went back last week. They are in Halls and the university were fine with them going back. Many didn’t have very suitable study spaces at home.

I guess if the university say no, they’ll have to refund them £150 a week.

@nostaples I don’t think it’s fair to say that all students will spread the virus. My DD and her housemates and other friends from school at other universities isolated before they came home, travelled in their own cars or picked up by parents so no public transport, have stayed home during the holidays and will be returning to self contained private rented accommodation by the same method. They are not a Covid risk to anyone. Not all students have been going to nightly house parties!

Strongly encouraged really does mean do not go back. People are just being deliberately obtuse now. Don’t want this to go on for every? The stay home!

I keep seeing more and more comments along the lines of “are you the Covid police”? I’ve always been polite with friends who think it is all nonsense BUT I now wish I hadn’t been so tolerant because they have Covid now. I wish I had spoke up to say this IS serious!!

DS came home after negative Covid tests, mixed with no one but immediate family over Christmas and has now gone back. That's why I am perfectly comfortable with the decision (and it is within the rules).

DS announced last night that he would be here until around 19th Jan (as advised by his Uni) although I suspect that this will now change to even later following last night's announcement. He wasn't due to have any lectures until the start of Feb anyway as January is always exam period followed by reading week at his Uni.
He is in private rent although it's thankfully not too expensive and is covered by his post grad loan. He said he'll stay here as it's cheaper! So I've had to do a big supermarket shop today (first since Christmas) to keep him fed and watered!

Dd had covid in October, has barely been out since she came home but given we are in SE could in theory carry the new strain back.

@VanCleefArpels clearly not all students but a significant number. Lucky students having parents who can drive them but surely you see how that is a risk too? Stopping at service stations? Getting into close proximity with others in a new location, crossing tier boundaries??

You don't have to take my word for it, the figures of student transmission tell their own story.

And whatever the students tell their parents, if they can do their work online, it's pretty obvious that the reason many are going back is precisely to mix.

My dd is in a real dilemma. ALL of the people she knows ARE mixing. She's currently at home. She's actually had Covid with a positive test so won't herself be transmitting. But she is still bound by the regulations. I really feel for her. Literally everyone she knows is mixing.

So don't let your DD go back. Job done.

You asked if it was allowed. It is. Clearly this isn't what you wanted to hear 🤷🏻‍♀️

DS is travelling with a flat mate and will not need to stop. They have exams and are extremely unlikely to be going out.

You don't have to take my word for it, the figures of student transmission tell their own story

The personal figures surrounding DS tell their own story too. No transmission.

(I am obviously not denying that transmission amongst students was bad during the last term. I'm just saying that DS's personal circumstances were not like that at all - probably because he isn't in halls)

@nostaples luckily journeys are not so far as to require loo stops. I do get what you are saying but as a group they have decided they will reform their household because even in lockdown it is more fun for them to be together than at home. As a group they have not set foot in any other people’s houses since September, perhaps they are atypical (I too know of plenty of partying students, all of whom have now had Covid) but for them it’s the preferable option and I support it (not least because for other reasons it will make life at home a bit easier!)

@nostaples that is complete nonsense. Many students are being very responsible and they reason they want to go back to private accommodation is so that they can be back in their household of friends. Not mixing with other households. It is good for their mental health to be with their peers.

[quote nostaples]@VanCleefArpels clearly not all students but a significant number. Lucky students having parents who can drive them but surely you see how that is a risk too? Stopping at service stations? Getting into close proximity with others in a new location, crossing tier boundaries??

You don't have to take my word for it, the figures of student transmission tell their own story.

And whatever the students tell their parents, if they can do their work online, it's pretty obvious that the reason many are going back is precisely to mix.

My dd is in a real dilemma. ALL of the people she knows ARE mixing. She's currently at home. She's actually had Covid with a positive test so won't herself be transmitting. But she is still bound by the regulations. I really feel for her. Literally everyone she knows is mixing.[/quote]
That's people she knows. Not every single uni student is doing it.

DD tells me a friend is going back tonight as she can do what she wants there (England). At the same time she tells me she gave notice to her landlord yesterday morning to terminate contract (ie not going back) as it's been far more restrictive at her uni from the start. She's going to have to travel back now to clear out room (600 miles away, so public transport as we work 6/7 days between us with only one car!).

You don't have to take my word for it, the figures of student transmission tell their own story
Indeed.

Uni of Portsmouth - 4500 students tested, 9 positive

Cambridget Uni - 10,000 symptomless students tested, 0 positive
and of the 72 ill students tested, only 9 had COVID

@SoupDragon your tone is unnecessarily confrontational.

How do you propose I keep my daughter at home at aged 18 - lock her in her bedroom?

And the point is it only takes one kid. My dd was pretty careful but shares a kitchen with other students who were not. And hey presto, she got Covid as did one of her other flatmates.

I don't think you can extrapolate anything from your son's experience. The EVIDENCE nationally tells us that students are significant risks or transmitting and if they're moving across the country spreading the new variant, that ends up being a significant risk to all of us.

'Not every single uni student is doing it.'

If I ever said that then clearly I was exaggerating.

MANY students are mixing.

DS has his train booked for tomorrow and I do feel inclined to let him go if he wants to.

I know he was sensible during the lockdown last year and followed all the restriction guidelines. He tested negative when he came home in December, and has not been out at all during the holidays. We live in Cornwall which has a low infection rate, and he will be returning to a privately rented flat shared with one other boy. Once he's back he will stay there.

The new guidelines do seem to leave some wiggle room but people do need to be very careful and sensible.