Not allowed to go home at the weekend, not allowed to mix with students outside your bubble, not allowed to have parties, maybe not allowed for Xmas?

[chomalungma]

I really feel sorry for students at Uni in Scotland.

Those students who are feeling isolated. Those who just want some fun and to experience student life.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-54285720

And break these rules and you could lose your university place

It looks like legal Twitter is rumbling now about the legality of the mass detention of students in Manchester. Looks like the LA are on a bit of shaky ground here and the reality that these students are actually legal adults hasn't sunk in yet. The use of private security guards to enforce this is probably a massive mistake on the part of the LA and the univerisity.

I hope that all the relevant authorities and institutions are working very hard to get these students tested as soon as possible so they can end the blanket detention quickly or this could get messy. Students may not have the financial means to start launching court action, but some of their parents do, as does the student union.

Spare me ! Few interviewed on R 4 this am , put it into perspective- having fun with their housemates . The media are having a ball with this. There will always be some who fall through cracks but they would anyway. Spare your grief for elderly lonely
vulnerable people self isolating in their houses. Or perhaps seek them out and offer a friendly phone chat.

Ok I’ll find some elderly vulnerable people and I’ll phone them. Because that will help massively with the university situation.

And perhaps there’s a database of phone numbers for these elderly vulnerable that you could direct us to? You know, the ones who welcome calls from strangers who e been given their phone number.

Surely a better idea would be to get those same elderly to phone the students holed up (probably illegally) in Manchester and Scotland, and to tell them to think themselves lucky.

@CountessFrog

I’m a click and call Good Sam volunteer, I get a message with a name and phone number sent to me via the app, I then call them and we have a long chat- usually an elderly person living alone.

@Lmttcch4 Please stop saying young people are not at risk. Young healthy people do still die of this. The risk is low but it is still there. There are others who will be seriously ill and no-one knows how long it will take them to recover.

They are low risk, the way they are being treated is terrible - but there will be people who regret taking the risk too lightly. www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/healthy-man-29-sends-coronavirus-22744961

I’m not saying young people aren’t at risk but their are definitely better examples than an out of shape 29 year old!!

@alreadytaken

The vast, vast majority of young people have significantly more chance of being hit by lightning or run over and killed by a car than being killed by COVID.

In fact, the vast majority of under 75s with no health conditions have more chance of dying in a car accident or accident at home.

Let's not play students off against elderly people. They both have their individual issues.
Some students will be having a ball, holed up with their new mates. Many others will have gone off to uni, away from home for the first time, with a lot of fear and trepidation due to anxiety or other issues. Then they are hit with being locked down and the threat of not being allowed home until some time next year.

I don't see how it could be legal to prohibit students from returning home anyway, unless a general lockdown is in place, i.e. no one can travel (including Mr Cummings).

[quote Ecosse]@alreadytaken

The vast, vast majority of young people have significantly more chance of being hit by lightning or run over and killed by a car than being killed by COVID.

In fact, the vast majority of under 75s with no health conditions have more chance of dying in a car accident or accident at home.[/quote]
I hate it when people band around words like "vast majority". It makes it sound like everyone has a 1 million chance of dying from covid which is total bullshit.

The government has brought in a range of regulations to deal with the pandemic. None of them allow for arbitrary detention/false imprisonment by university security guards as far as I am aware.

I am completely supportive of the extra measures needed to manage this pandemic, but that does not mean organisations can just behave how they like.

Sorry I don’t get it. Bolton are on lockdown but are still free to go to other towns and cities to go out? People are not obeying rules and are having parties.
One rule for one and one for another. No consistency at all

@Hopoindown31

The government has brought in a range of regulations to deal with the pandemic. None of them allow for arbitrary detention/false imprisonment by university security guards as far as I am aware.

I am completely supportive of the extra measures needed to manage this pandemic, but that does not mean organisations can just behave how they like.

It's not clear whether it's the organisation or whether the rule was imposed by the council and is being enforced by the police.

@Belladonna12 according to reports from the students impacted it is private security guards that are preventing them from leaving.

[quote Hopoindown31]@Belladonna12 according to reports from the students impacted it is private security guards that are preventing them from leaving.[/quote]
They said security guards and police. The lockdown was ordered by the council/public health officials. They may not have the authority to do that today they will tomorrow, it appears.

Everyone is having to live their lives differently and students are no different. Full on socialising at pubs, clubs, parties etc. has made the virus spread like wildfire through the universities, which should have been predicted.
Yes, it’s tough that they can’t party as they would wish, but they can continue to study with online tuition which is partly what they are there for, I believe.

But it probably isn't even partying that's fine it.

Simply moving thousands of students across the country to live with new households of 4+ (sometimes in the teens) people is more likely, particularly as they are often symptom free at that age.

It not rocket science to have predicted that having a bunch of strangers meeting up in concentrated indoor buildings and telling groups of 4-10+ they don't have to SD with them was likely to cause an increase in cases amongst them.

I'm fed up of hearing that it's being caused by students blatantly ignoring rules when actually that's probably not even what's caused it. Simply sitting together in common rooms and kitchens is much more likely - especially as that will be for prolonged periods of time day to day. Many are even sharing bathrooms, not just kitchens.

And now they're all being locked down in huge numbers for simply following guidelines to proceed with moving in to new halls of residence with strangers.

Maybe the government should have thought a bit harder about this and considered what they could do before they moved them all in together. Maybe if T&T was actually working properly we could have helped matters. With enough finding and capacity we could have tested them before arrival. Anything than just sending them all together to mix in large numbers.

It not rocket science to have predicted that having a bunch of strangers meeting up in concentrated indoor buildings and telling groups of 4-10+ they don't have to SD with them was likely to cause an increase in cases amongst them.

What is really stupid is that my son has just gone to Uni 2 days ago for his first year. His flat is full, with 8 people from all over the UK. The top two floors are empty due to not enough people wanting uni accommodation. Why didn't they spread them out, say 4 or 6 to a flat and use all the flats? (Yes, I know, money - less cleaning costs, lower utility bills, etc). Unis may have put some thought/effort into the online learning, but it seems that they've given no thought at all to the living conditions - they just want the dosh.

It not rocket science to have predicted that having a bunch of strangers meeting up in concentrated indoor buildings and telling groups of 4-10+ they don't have to SD with them was likely to cause an increase in cases amongst them.

It's not rocket science to know that would happen at the moment because cases are everywhere. It wasn't necessarily clear that this would happen in August though as cases were much lower. That was the point when students were offered places and when blended learning was planned. The current situation is a result of people going on holiday, eat out to help out, schools opening as this all meant students left home at the time when some were already infected.

@Badbadbunny

It not rocket science to have predicted that having a bunch of strangers meeting up in concentrated indoor buildings and telling groups of 4-10+ they don't have to SD with them was likely to cause an increase in cases amongst them.

What is really stupid is that my son has just gone to Uni 2 days ago for his first year. His flat is full, with 8 people from all over the UK. The top two floors are empty due to not enough people wanting uni accommodation. Why didn't they spread them out, say 4 or 6 to a flat and use all the flats? (Yes, I know, money - less cleaning costs, lower utility bills, etc). Unis may have put some thought/effort into the online learning, but it seems that they've given no thought at all to the living conditions - they just want the dosh.

They have spread them out at the University I work at. There are dining areas and study areas in all the flats. Much better than usual.

It's shit for them TBH. And this we're all in it together, they need to stop whinging is nonsense. If tuition is online then it could and should have been done from home. Instead they have been asked (told) to come to Uni, paying fees or not but definitely paying for accommodation which they now have to quarantine in.

What is crap is that this was entirely predictable but the Unis/Colleges and Governments still allowed it. Thousands of 18 year olds away from home for the first time after having had a shit end of school all living together. Oh look Covid is on the rise!! No shit Sherlock! The absence of common sense by our esteemed leaders is astonishing.

Either the Unis go back as normal with precautions (masks, sanitising, etc.) or they don't. And if the schools can do it then so can higher educational establishments.

This constant fire fighting will be looked back upon as a complete waste of time. We need to get on with normal life and have an adult conversation about viruses and their wily ways. It will still keep coming back. It will ebb and flow every time we go in and out of lockdown. There will be nothing to come out to if we don't start living normally.

Stupid thing is that the Unis are social distancing in lessons/lectures etc by reducing numbers and putting lectures online, and one way systems etc in the "learning" areas. But the same Unis are ignoring social distancing etc in the on-campus bars, restaurants, etc. My son went out last night with his new flat mates (first time out) and they did a "pub crawl" of the campus bars (college bars). He's not a drinker himself but went out to be social. He came back mid evening as he was aghast at how the college bars etc weren't even trying to social distance - no "checking in" in the onsite cafes/restaurants, tables all packed close together as if covid didn't exist. Really poor on the part of the Uni not to even try to comply with precautions/rules re bars & restaurants in other environments. Covid is going to spread through Unis like wildfire. What's the point of putting lectures online to avoid students getting close together and then the campus/college bars/cafes letting students do what they want? It's all nonsensical.

the problem is that re-opening unis is a public health issue. it's not only about the young people themselves but also the communities in which they live.and the only reason they are having f2f is because unis need their cash.

@zurich09

the problem is that re-opening unis is a public health issue. it's not only about the young people themselves but also the communities in which they live.and the only reason they are having f2f is because unis need their cash.

No it isn't the only reason. Students deserve an education. Why should a whole year give up on the chance of a degree? They can't all defer to next year. If they did what about this years y13? Students are at low risk and they mostly mix with other students. Schools being open is far more of a public health issue as those children go home to families.

Why are whole blocks being put into isolation?

Are they not in self contained flats, or at least corridors?

@Badbadbunny

Stupid thing is that the Unis are social distancing in lessons/lectures etc by reducing numbers and putting lectures online, and one way systems etc in the "learning" areas. But the same Unis are ignoring social distancing etc in the on-campus bars, restaurants, etc. My son went out last night with his new flat mates (first time out) and they did a "pub crawl" of the campus bars (college bars). He's not a drinker himself but went out to be social. He came back mid evening as he was aghast at how the college bars etc weren't even trying to social distance - no "checking in" in the onsite cafes/restaurants, tables all packed close together as if covid didn't exist. Really poor on the part of the Uni not to even try to comply with precautions/rules re bars & restaurants in other environments. Covid is going to spread through Unis like wildfire. What's the point of putting lectures online to avoid students getting close together and then the campus/college bars/cafes letting students do what they want? It's all nonsensical.

I don't know what university your son goes to but that is definitely not happening in the vast majority of universities. Having said that, considering everyone is fussing about student spreading it in the community, it would be better if they do stay in campus bars.