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!).

@simbobs I know a few that have done the finger prick test, looking for antibodies. That seems a good idea.

DH was asked to do the covid test looking for asymptomatic people. Then ds2 was also asked this week to do a test for the same people (ipsos mori/imperial college) ds2 not done the test yet as someone needs to be home all day when it's collected. I think a lot have done that test....I would be more interested in having the finger prick antibody test though. I'm fairly sure none of us have had covid. If anyone has then it would be ds1 when he was at university early on in the year. But I still doubt he's had it.

Yes, it is the fingerprick test which promises a result in 10 to 15 minutes, though it is apparently not 100% accurate. As he is pretty certain that he has just had covid but was unable to get a test we are pleased that he has the opportunity to do this. I just hope he does have the antibodies as I will feel happier if he has a degree of immunity.

@Xenia I have 2 in year 2 and found the legal stuff really helpful in fact I forwarded it to my DD - her friends had a visit from the police yesterday!

@simbobs yes hopefully he will have antibodies. It would be great if they tested more people for antibodies rather than the random covid one looking for asymptomatic people.

@IcanbewhatIwant, I think finding and isolating asymptomatic people may be the only way to stop the virus from spreading. Those who know they have it are more likely to stay in. If they are blissfully unaware they could be spreading it all over the place. I don't know what the detection rate is, though.

DD1 is playing Animal Crossing remotely with DD2 from York. It's nice to hear them chatting together even though she's 200 miles away! DD2 has to isolate so DD1 has plenty of scope for 'company' at Uni in York. She's 12 to her floor who are her bubble.

She's getting fed up of repeated covid app notifications that she's possibly be in contact, only to be then told not to worry...so far.

She's on floor 2 so there are another 12 below and 12 above whose phones may, I presume, also trip the notification.

Eiether way she's keeping herself to herself as she's hearing flatmates coughing and coughing.

I hope you don’t mind me staying - DS is a fresher but had a gap year, so is the same age as most of your DCs. I tried the group for this year’s freshers but didn’t find it as helpful. I’ve really enjoyed talking to others on here who have DC at Newcastle.

You are very welcome as far as I am concerned. My DD is in Newcastle, but in final year.

@simbobs maybe. I know quite a few that have done the asymptomatic test and all negative. Ds will do his weds. I only know 4 people that have done the antibody test...also all negative.

@Piggywaspushed I hope the operation is a success and your mum makes a speedy recovery. It is so hard when you can't be with them

Just seen the daily stats
www.ucu.org.uk/covid-dashboard

Newcastle university has the highest number of cases

Very strange that University of Nottingham is so high but Nottingham Trent (where my DS is) has not reported their figures. Is that a deliberate policy?

@Ginfordinner I haven't seen that before. Thanks. I wondered how many cases at UEA 87. Not too bad there.

I was thinking the same Rags. My DS said none of his NTU friends have any symptoms or been tested positive, which is weird, but he has friends at both Nottingham University and Loughborough who do have symptoms. Its bizarre because they must have cases at NTU.

@Ginfordinner, thanks for that link - very interesting!

Could it be that it’s going round halls but limited to those halls because the students are isolating v well?

@Piggywaspushed hope the operation goes well. Thinking of you x

@simbobs
Dd1 had that just before she went to uni. You prick your finger, do the test, then upload the result. She was quite disappointed (but not surprised) to find she was negative.

@Ragwort @minesawine I’m sure I read somewhere that Nottingham university was testing its students every week to look for symptomatic infections. I could be wrong though🤷‍♀️

www.nottingham.ac.uk/coronavirus/asymptomatic-testing-service/asymptomatic-testing-service.aspx
It says it is rolling it out to NTU mid October so those numbers might go up.

The university Covid stats are really interesting

My DD’s university has had fewer than 20 cases. Compared with unis Oop North with many hundreds. Why do we think this is? If we assume that kids from all over the country travel to unis all over the country, it can’t be students bringing infection with them into halls can it? So is it in the air??? I’m being facetious but there does seem to be such a disparity geographically and I’m scratching my head as to why

Interesting question. I am sure that it is a combination of factors, including cities with more than one uni being in areas with higher population density. Any wise owls with real answers step this way.

Ds1 is at UEA. Cases aren't very high there. But they aren't high generally in east anglia (🤞) Though Essex has just moved up a tier. I read that quite a high percentage of students at UEA are from Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. So they won't have travelled that far. Maybe because it's not that easy to get to that the students are more local? Has that helped keep numbers lower there? I don't know.

Thank you mum that looks interesting. My DS did have a test (arranged it himself) which fortunately was negative.

@VanCleefArpels and @simbobs I've been wondering the same. Dd is in Southampton. Anecdotally she says the general student population is "Southern", insofar as people think you're a Northerner if you're from Birmingham. Does that play a part? Also Southampton has its own testing programme which might help?

@mum2eim .. my DS is at Nottingham.. he had trouble getting a test ... he's in a private rental though ..

@avenueq yes I think that might apply for Kent - funny how some universities attract people many hours away but some stay more “local”