University 2020 :9: And they're off, making hay while the sun shines.

[MillicentMartha]

New thread, trying to be upbeat!

Old thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3996883-University-2020-8-Use-the-CAGs-don-t-use-the-CAGs?pg=40

@BCBG I don't think so. This was published by PHE and has been shared on WIWIKAU, although it could be out of date.

Another thing in the first box I sent was vitamins - trying to prevent colds so don't get covid confusion, but Trump's doctors but him on vitamins as well as his selection of drugs for covid (not that I would usually consider anything Trump himself did!)

@specialted @choirmumoftwo Maybe Lancaster has more male first years than second - DD is in a flat of six boys and two girls! Luckily she likes football..

@BCBG, yes, as it would be a whole new episode, with the other members of the household being at risk again...?

This bit refers to those who have been ill who get ill again:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

What to do if you have another episode of COVID-19 symptoms after the end of your first period of self-isolation or household isolation

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms again at any point after ending your first period of staying at home (self-isolation or household isolation), follow this guidance onself-isolation again.

This means you must stay at home for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started if you live alone and arrange to have a test. If you live in a household, you must stay at home for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started, arrange a test for yourself, and all other household members must stay at home for 14 days.

@Monkey2001, that chart is definitely out of date, as it refers to 7 days'isolation, which was superseded by 10 days some time ago.

Ok thanks - and another serious question. Flatmates test has come back positive. DD is autistic. Lockdown in a room on the second floor of a building is not the best situation for her. Please does anyone know if autistic people have any official leeway in the current guidelines (I know they did in the original lockdown) as I'm hoping she could go out for a fully isolated walk if it gets too much. Really quite worried. Thanks

@BCBG the guidance isn't explicit - I've screenshot the relevant section- but I think you would want to agree with university disability services that your daughter's existing care plan ( i.e. what worked under previous lockdown) allowed exercise to manage her anxiety.

@bcbg I was just checking on whether one had to isolate as a contact if one had already had covid and sadly the answer is yes.
It's covered here somewhere
www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person

So this whole thing really could just roll around again and again.

Really sorry to hear about your DS, @Collision. I hope he's better soon.

Manchester University have suspended any F2F teaching, which is going online along with their lectures. More than 1000 students have tesyed positive, so I think it's a sensible precaution, if disappointing. As DS is in isolation at the moment, it doesn't really affect him because he's been having to attend all teaching sessions online anyway.

Thanks @MarchingFrogs I guess I had better correct people posting it on WIWIKAU

And there's no proof how much immunity getting Covid gives you as yet, or how long it might last. I think the student households may well go through a few cycles of isolation.

DS has bought a book (good) on my Amazon account (not so good).

@Thatsnotmine welcome :) 8 girls 4 boys too Grizedale townhouse

@user1497207191 Welcome :) thats for the link thats really useful. ill make sure daughter gets this

BCBG, I already mentally filed away that exemption to use for ds if he gets v distressed (he has autism) so far I think he will manage because it is a very large flat. But I think they will be allowed out to smoke so I presume the non smokers will get the same chance to go outside occasionally in a controlled way. Ds is a non smoker btw!
Ds waiting for results of his test yesterday. He said flatmates were resentful of him being first to get them locked down, I told.him they wrre being ridiculous to even think that way. He thinks they think he should have kept his "symptoms" quiet, as they were mild.
Crash course in dealing with people methinks..he sounds tired and said he had a lot of reading to get through, all online, history and politics books. So he didnt mind being stuck in, getting a chance to concentrate.
He asked me to send a complicated train puzzle!

@Nettleskeins I got this one for DS which has a train www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1899618457/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8 - bit childish, but fun! Puzzles of steam trains are great if you want a puzzle that takes a long time as the steamy bits are really hard.

@KingscoteStaff I would be so pleased if either of my DSs wanted a book for pleasure these days that I would not count the cost! Both were avid readers when young, but don't read at all now.

@Nettleskeins The guidance for the isolating U of Manchester students allows them to go outside once a day for exercise/fresh air in a designated outdoor space, so long as they socially distance etc. For DS's hall it's the grassy area between their hall and the road.

Monkey, thanks.

Well, I looked up the smokers' exemption at Lancaster and it is just that, grr. Maybe ds needs to take up smoking to be allowed out!! They can smoke downstairs, outside ,within range of building with their household group. 2m from anyone else. If one was being over legalistic one could argue the right to have a cigarette is no more inportant than the rights of others to walk downstairs and get fresh air , mental freshment occasionally.

X post Millicent.
That sounds a much more sensible arrangement at Manchester re exercise. Maybe as cases rise Lancaster will organise similar.

That just seems totally unfair to the non-smokers!

Sorry to hear about your ds collision . I hope Loughborough treats him well. I read on the Facebook group that Loughborough rates highly for student satisfaction and support so hopefully this will shine through in their Covid support 🤞

It doesn't seem like yesterday they moved in. No word from ds about + cases in his halls....yet.

Yes, 1,300 cases so far at Manchester! Hopefully Lancaster won't get there. Could he pretend to take up smoking?

Post him some of those candy cigs we used to have as kids?

www.lancaster.ac.uk/accommodation/covid-19/#
Im pretty sure that students are allowed to leave their houses and be outside their front door (not blocking entrance of course), just to get some air. The windows dont open that much.

@BCBG sorry to hear her flatmate is positive. Hopefully DD will be able to get out and at least just walk around her accommodation block to get some exercise.

Part of what I sent Dgd. I added 4 types of cake, bakewell tarts, strawberry bonbons and rhubarb and custards plus some tereaki kits and a pack of specialist tea for her Japanese teaset. Oh and some flying saucers lol!

@Sostenueto looks great they will love that :)

@sammyjoanne Lancaster Student Welfare have told me they cannot leave their property even to get fresh air - and she checked with her manager and came back to confirm 😡😱😡. They can go outside to smoke provided that they remain distanced from others and within sight of the door. So basically DD is being penalised for being a non smoker, plus if this logic continues, every time these students end isolation (however long it takes depending on infection rates in their flat groups) they could go to a seminar, come into contact and be back to square one again! Not even having had COVID will exempt them from having to isolate again. So these kids could end up interred for weeks if not months with only rare days out if infection. Rates among students remain or become high. Madness.

@BCBG thats madness. it simply just cannot work. Overlapping with constant covid cases and being stuck in the room could be there for weeks. What kind of good will that do for students mental health? It does make one think it would be much easier for everyone in the flat to get it all at the same time, and then just carry on as normal since catching it twice is such a rarity. Risky move naturally, but students will be thinking thats the 'easier' option.