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!).

Most unis do a ReFresh in Jan so hopefully they might go ahead in a more RL way. Maybe - if we peak now. But frankly who knows?

I’m confused about these bubbles - so you can have a household/support bubble where you don’t have to SD then an ‘educational’ eg seminar bubble where you have to distance? or not? And you can have a part-time job bubble????

@Baytreemum it's just like being at home really. Your household bubble where sd is unreasonable and work and college where you stick to their sd regulations

@Baytreemum not sure how many part time jobs there will be, either.

So all last year we had to put up with a crap phone signal and not being able to hear DS. Looks like the same issue this year. So frustrating.

@Baytreemum you are using the term bubble slightly inappropriately.

The concept of bubble was brought in to help single people who were feeling isolated during lockdown. The rules were changed so that those single people could form a support “bubble” with another household

In Halls or rented accomodation Or at home the people the students live with firm their “household”. Local rules may limit or ban different households from mixing. However this diss not prevent people going to school/uni/work and mixing with people there as it is assumed that those settings are Covid safe ie measures put in place to ensure social distancing / require mitigations like masks.

Thanks- so if you’re in a local lockdown area like the NE you can still mix with other households/support bubbles for educational or work purposes? What about in restaurants where covid-secure systems are in place?

@Baytreemum I am in a local lockdown area and there doesn’t appear to be restrictions meeting people outside your bubble in restaurants and pubs etc. I think the thinking behind it is that they do track and trace and are more likely to be socially distanced. Still only 6 though

@Baytreemum according to BBC, the rules in the NE "advise" you not to mix households in payed for public places, bars etc but don't forbid it. So "hands, face, space" in bars with students from other flats etc is within the rules. All to be seated and six per table, curfew at 10.00 etc
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-54199947

And yes you can mix for education, work, organised sports, health and disability support etc

mum2eim and Gymntonic - thank you, that is a great help.

DS ( fresher at Newcastle) has been told that only one parent is allowed in the flat at a time when he moves in on Saturday. So DH will do the heavy lifting and I’ll help DS do the sorting ( stereotyping I know!) He is very sensible and will take the right precautions - his flat has already organised some in-house stuff over WhatsApp. But he’s living an a huge student village so I very much doubt everyone will be as cautious - he’s already seen posts suggesting pub crawls, courtyard meet ups etc

For what it's worth, the following conversation just took place on Messenger between my DC.
Him "I don't know anyone that actually has coronavirus", her "You will when you get back to uni"
She caught it within 2 weeks of arrival (4th year, in private accommodation).
DS says that he and his flatmates all agree that they don't care whether they catch it, so it is pretty certain that they will. I have just said that they need a covid kit and a good supply of non perishable food, plus the promise to isolate themselves and to not come home.
If my unsociable DD can get it so easily from a single social contact there is no way of stopping it going through multiple occupancy accommodation, especially if brought in by asymptomatic students. But perhaps it is for the best.

@simbobs, how will he get a covid kit?

Sorry, I meant a homemade box of tricks, thermometer, paracetamol etc

Aha!
Good plan!

@Piggywaspushed

So all last year we had to put up with a crap phone signal and not being able to hear DS. Looks like the same issue this year. So frustrating.

If he has decent WiFi he could use WhatsApp or Messenger to ring you.

When DD was in halls her phone signal didn't work in her room, so she rang me on Messenger. Or what about Zoom or Duo?

I don't know how to Zoom! I know... Neanderthal!
I think the wi fi is the issue too as he tried to WhatsApp and that didn't work either.

If you really want to go into full backpacking mode, a finger-clip oximeter is good for the ‘Covid Kit’ too. Quite a few positive people have complained of shortness of breath but the oximeter has shown they are fine and vice versa - some admitted to hospital think they are breathing ok but then doctors see their horrendous oxygen sats. Oximeters are about £15-20.
We got one for when Dd has seizures and calibrated it with the hospital machines. They are remarkably accurate (unlike the bloody expensive forehead thermometer that is accurate to within 10 degrees). The prices of them went up ridiculously but I think they are back down to £20 on Amazon. They show your heart rate too.

Raising my hand here as a full-on backpacker - I bought oximeter, digital thermometer and a bunch of other Covid-related stuff for DD to take with her.

Sorry that should have read that we checked it with hospital machines - it doesn’t need calibrating. It showed the exact same readings of oxygen sats and heart rate.

HoldMyLobster glad it’s not just me then . She’s also booked in for a flu jab though whether Boots will honour it I am not sure as there’s problems with availability.

DD rang today. Her household are being surprisingly sensible about not mixing households, and have been refusing invitations to house parties etc. One of her friends now has her car there, and they are taking a trip up the coast this week.

Gin Dd and a few flatmates have been out making the most of the evening at a (socially distancing) restaurant as they reckon rules are going to get tougher soon.

It's looking that way.