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

@ForestbytheSea that's awful! I was just going to ask had you flagged it to the principal! My DD also at Durham, the other night a load of randoms came onto their corridor at 3am and threw all the plates out of the kitchen window! They did call the Porter who came over but of course they had scarpered.

I think it depends so much on who you happen to be in a bubble with, how sensible they are. Also, in DS's accommodation, you need a key to enter the main entrance to the block of 4 flats, another key to enter your particular flat of 8 people and a third key for your own room, so the flats are pretty safe from interlopers. Trickier if someone from your own flat lets them in, though.

@ForestbytheSea thats terrible. I would definitely flag this up with the college and the authorities there.
@tinkywinkyshandbag wow it doesnt sound great, and how on earth did they get in? Are all the corridors unlocked?

I think it is only to be expected if you lock up 22 people with no exercise or common room. Madness.

DD at least has a communal area.tho no outdoors of course.

It has been very irksome, and for him only 10 days. At home he would have garden, lots of communal space, wise (!) Elders. I don't see how anyone could lockdown again in halls without some sort of mass rebellion, twisting rules etc. So far they have been scrupulous in his flat of ,12, but it wouldn't work twice. Especially if you have already had a positive test! What incentive to obey restrictions a month down line in event of another "case"?

Advice for residential settings is different than advice for households in private houses on gov. uk, boarding schools being an example. The disclaimer is really for the institution to care and support the residents in these situations, not to apply blanket policies. In the event of multiple resurfacing s in one bubble, I think unis would have to rethink the strategy.
Or the students will scarlet.

scarper

I feel for the international students who have already had to quarantine, then to be asked to self isolate again.

@MillicentMartha yes, it seems to be a college requirement not a university wide one. Very draconian. Most of the staircases don't have any communal space except a tiny kitchen so I expect it's to stop people all gathering in 1 room

I feel really strongly about the lack of exercise tbh. I know Manchester was good on allowing a bit of exercise, but surely it is wrong on so many levels to ask young people to sit in their smallish rooms with no alternative outlet, for two weeks at a time, repeatedly? It is creating health problems not solving them

@Nettleskeins could you link to the advice on residential settings on the gov site? So the girl on my dd’s floor who said don’t exclude me, is positive and hasn’t been self isolating.

I can't do links, but the gov.uk guidance for residential settings and sub set university halls seems to put the onus on the individual institutions to make value judgements relating to best practice. After all, a communal garden or communal area in a normal RL house is not forbidden to those within a household anymore than a communal kitchen or bathroom, just there is guidance rather than law on how best to manage the situation to avoid infecting others. But no one is going to come into your private house and tell you are not allowed to eat supper with a family member. It is a guideline if you want to avoid spreading the infection within the household. But it isn't a legal requirement. In private households at least.

@sammyjoanne - the Friday night plan at your DD's house sounds lovely. So many of them seem to be shrugging off the awfulness of one aspect of their situation and just getting on with making the best of what they have.

My DS would have loved the ukelele guy too, shame he's doing geography! I'll tell him about this.

He told DH that he feels a bit iller now - actually got a phlegmy cough (urgh) so the virus is getting its grip on him.

Waving to all - I've got a real life friend with a DS at Durham whose accommodation sounds exactly what's being described here, I might check if it matches what she's hearing!

@ForestbytheSea @tinkywinkyshandbag
thetab.com/uk/durham/2020/10/14/durham-university-invests-30000-into-policing-covid-19-rules-49219

Says on the Tab theres a reporting chat feature of the durham constabulary where you can report incidences of breaking the rules.

@Nettleskeins I do think its wrong having them stay totally indoors without going outside (with building in plain sight) Even prisoners get to go outside for an exercise walk, and i think Lancaster needs to buck their ideas up on the the mental health side of students.

@WellWoman so its taken about a week from positive result to get to the phlegmy cough stage. I hope he gets better soon

Agree, forcing them to stay indoors is jus awful in so many ways. DH had to quarantine after seeing a client in France after we took DS to uni. He stayed in the spare room and didn't go out but it was awful. And we discussed the going out thing - if he went out for a walk or cycle and didn't go near anyone else how could that be a problem?

The rules are ridiculously rigid. If our sick DCs went out for fresh air, and to keep their muscles moving, but don't go near anyone else why is that a bad thing?

What amazes me is how resilient and cheerful they have been (mostly, and I do know it's a huge struggle for some, and I do sympathise).

It's getting harder and harder to support authority now. For me at least.

I don't think I had taken in that ds2 was genuinely not mixing with his bubble I thought it was just the flatmates being over zealous, but now I see it is the "guidance"! Luckily there were a few others who had covid, they thought, and one actual positive who were prepared to be in the same room with him, watch TV football match etc. For some reason I perceived they (all 12) were all hanging out together and bonding in self isolation.
I do think it is cruel to ask someone to stay in their room for ten days and not set foot out, this actually seems to be the Guidance!!!!
So apologies to those I have confused with my well meaning interpretation.
I swear there was something different written on gov UK last month...hmm

Anyway only one day to go. Thurs midnight he is free. And he has certainly done a lot of studying.

I think the guidance has always been that those with symptoms should avoid the rest in their household, be in a different room, use a different toilet if possible and clean thoroughly after themselves if they have to use communal facilities. Not sure how much it actually happens, though.

I suppose when you live with young adults as a normal rule, it doesn't occur to you as parent to avoid them, it just would be unworkable, from the point of view of their mental health. (,Although they may have preferred to be left alone!) And if you as a household are self isolating anyway, you go through it together as a family, not locked away from each other.

Even for families, the guidance has always said to avoid the person with symptoms.

But it was seven days before, not 10! I wouldn't have left ds2, or DD (just 18) or ds1 alone in their rooms for 10 days, pushing food under the door!! And I'm 55, not a healthy fellow student

@Nettleskeins Exactly, that most students were not home with their families do not exist solely in a tiny bedroom only a few feet wide with just a single bed in it. My daughters bedroom at university is incredibly dark, and small, I think it would be downright cruel it's not dangerous to come find somebody in a room like that for 10 to 14 days

The guidance and what happens in reality would differ, I’m sure. (Also 55 and chubby in my case!) DS said that the lad with the positive test in his flat stayed in his room mostly and when he had to venture out he wore a mask. He was freed up 4 days before the rest of them, though, so got sent to do their shopping!

These students need to bear in mind the science around viral load. If those with it don’t stay apart then the subsequent cases could be much worse in a small bubble with frequent exposure.