Study in the time of COVID-19 (2019/20 intake): online learning, the rule of six and who knows what's next? Anything could happen!

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Following on from the previous thread as our young adults start their second year at universities up and down the land (and some overseas too!).

@justasking111 Dd is my eldest & in her 6th year so quite comfortable staying there with her housemates who she knows very well now. She only came home for two lots of 3 week stints since March as otherwise she was on placements. Her finals have been brought forward to January so she is just keeping busy revising.

My 2nd year student seems happy enough for now. Not leaving the house much but they know the students in the house next door so as long as they are allowed to mix, there is plenty of company.

@Monica53 welcome to the thread.
Strange times it is and the news about Christmas is disconcerting but really can students be held hostage in their student city and not be allowed to come home? My DD will be coming home whatever if that what she wants or she will risk her mental health.
I took her up last Wednesday and yes I excelled at the backpacking and stayed over with her until she was settled. She gets very anxious at change so it was the right thing to do and she wanted me to. She’s in Durham but her house is 5 minute walk to the most beautiful tranquil countryside and a National cycle way which goes all the way to Barnard Castle. We had a lovely walk before I left. Her house mates are being very strict with the rules and are lovely. All boys and there was a cleaning frenzy going on when I arrived so I have high hopes for a reasonably clean house 😂 Fingers crossed for everyone starting back 🤞

All this talk of locking them up for Christmas is pie in the sky. Unless they legislate for some form of house arrest it just won’t happen. Students are just adults who happen to be studying, not some special category the authorities can prevent moving around. Yes there might be “guidance” but as with all these things it will be for us all to weigh up the relative risks and make a decision. DD has already said she will self isolate for her final week before coming home as we hope to spend Christmas with the grandparents.

There is no way that my DC are spending Xmas anywhere but home. DD would be alone in that case. DS will set off on foot if he had to. As most of them will have had it by then they are less likely to infect others surely?

I agree @VanCleefArpels and @simbobs - hopefully it will sweep through the unis with no serious illnesses and they won’t be then carrying it back anyway.

Welcome @Monica53. My DD is in Bristol. Well, going back on Monday to start her Masters

I'm not unhappy for it to sweep through the universities - hopefully allowing spring and summer to be more normal.

Welcome @Monica53.

@starfish4 sorry to hear your DD is wanting to come home already, I hope she doesn't make any rash decisions. It feels like our 2nd yearers are still freshers in many ways given their limited university experience to date.

@mum2eim your DD's house location sounds idyllic - DS is in the busy viaduct area of Durham and happy as his first year was at the remotest college. He loves having Tesco on his doorstep and considers it his extended fridge.

DS is looking forward to the freshers arriving this weekend and is involved in arranging freshers week. I hope they have fun. We were so lucky to have the full freshers experience this time last year.

@Jano69, my DS is in viaduct too and says he is so so glad he started last year unlike many of his friends who took gap years and are Freshers now

I wish they’d just let students mix, designate bars to them etc. They’d all get it and move on. This situation is ridiculous and I feel so sorry for the freshers.

Maybe COVID-19 parties for teens and twentysomethings will be a thing soon. It would be a way of driving up towards the herd immunity target.

Welcome @Monica53 too.

@bigTillyMint @Witchend yes I agree with let students get on with their lives. So few will be ill with it. I guess the fear would be those students with additional illnesses but thats bern an issue even with freshers flu.

@Jano69 my DD was in a Bailey college so she’s enjoying having to walk to places now which is just as well because the 20minute walk to the supermarket or meet up in town might be her only time to get out of the house.

@bigTillyMint Thank you - we’re due to travel down to Bristol from Newcastle - 5+hrs drive to take her back though she’s sharing a flat with 2 girls so hopefully they’ll be ok. 2nd year and hopefully by 16/12 they’re ok to come home for a break - we’ll be driving down and back in December in one day though next week staying for a few days x

It’s a quandary isn’t it this get it over and done with/ shield. Especially when you have a previously healthy Dd (16) having daily seizures due to an unknown virus she caught months ago. I kind of wish Uni Dd could get a very, very mild dose so she wouldn’t feel so worried about ever coming home. Ironically she will be v nervous about getting any virus now whereas last year she got everything going at freshers week and she felt rough but certainly not afraid.
I think the last few weeks have been much tougher on everyone.

@Benjispruce2, @NewModelArmyMayhem18 and @mum2eim, absolutely! That’s what I’ve said to my two - do whatever with your mates, but if anywhere near Joe Public, make sure it’s masks and 2m distance!

@Zandathepanda, very worrying for you though - with good reason

@Monica53, we are in London so only 2 1/2 hours to Bristol on a good run! DD takes the megabus back and forth usually though.
Sadly 5hours on a good run to DS in Durham! But he gets the train and that’s only 3hours.

I’m praying we can visit them both at half term which is only 4 weeks away

DS girlfriend her family had covid back at beginning of March NHS workers both she and DS were ill with it we believe following a family party. The NHS workers had antibody test and yep they had it.

My question is this if students have had covid why do they need to be locked up anymore for further outbreaks?

@justasking111 aren't they saying if you've had Covid you can catch it again and pass on without symptoms?

[quote icanbewhatiwant]@justasking111 aren't they saying if you've had Covid you can catch it again and pass on without symptoms? [/quote]
If so we will all be locked up forever then!!

Girlfriends family NHS went straight back to work and have not caught it again, their viral load would be much higher than most peoples

justasking, I don't support locking anyone up, but the reason I suppose is we don't know if you get immunity from having had covid.

So true @bigTillyMint....

@Benjispruce2 and @NewModelArmyMayhem18 - I'm sure Covid 19 parties will become common place, a little like how we arranged chicken pox parties for them when they were preschoolers.

@mum2eim It seems the Bailey college students have moved to the outskirts and those in the remote colleges have done the exact opposite! I wonder what they'll do the third year, decisions will have to be made quickly.

@Zandathepanda very worrying for you all. I've said it before but your DD1 sounds so considerate and kind.

@Jano69, DS was in a hill college - didn’t seem that far out, but maybe some are further? It’s all easy walking distance AFAICS!

Re third year I hope DS hsngs onto the house he’s in - much easier! He’s lead contact so....

@justasking111 I don't mean catch again as such. I just mean they think we can still carry it and pass on after having it ourselves. Though of course, they don't actually know.

Niece has had it twice, NHS worker. She seemed to go back to work much more quickly than I would have expected. Milder 2nd time. Our plumber had it in March but still has to scrub up like a surgeon before every house visit because he could be carrying live virus around without being affected himself.
Just dropped DS off. I did go into his flat but put a mask on and sanitised my hands. I just hope they can look after one another when and if the virus comes. There are several high frequency touch points in order to access the flat, and although DS has all the necessary stuff he isn't frightened enough of catching this virus to be meticulous in their use.

Mine had a busy day yesterday seeing 1st years into college - she was ‘on duty ‘ until midnight . Think it’s the same routine today .

Hi
Just heard announcements on news stating students will be allowed home for Christmas. I for one have extreme mixed feelings regards sending 100 of students mingling around the U.K. especially when you can be asymptotic- I feel so uneasy leaving my daughter in Bristol , yes she’ll not be in halls as her second year though still anxious as do think as Boris has said restrictions for 6months? I don’t know anymore just extremely anxious 😟