Is there any thought yet as to how students are going to get home for Christmas?

[TawnyPippit]

I haven’t seen anything, but I’m assuming some thought must be being given to this, whether by the universities or the govt?. DS is in catered accommodation and I can’t believe that that that would keep on going all over the Christmas period. I’m not a Christmas obsessive - DS is just coming to the end of his first lockdown period, and also can’t come home for reading week as originally planned as we are Tier 2. But I have told him (rashly?) that it will all be ok for Christmas.

I guess the way it would currently work would be to do another period of isolation - which hopefully will be just 7 days by then - and then come and re-join our household. He is in Tier 1, so coming home is not a problem for him, its us that cannot mix households ATM.

I suspect its all too far away to strategise about at the moment as we will likely have several different iterations of lockdown restrictions before then, just idle musings.

A lot of the state's advice does not recognise loads of students rely on their jobs to eat.

Is any one else bothered about this 31 week contract agreement where rooms have to be COMPLETELY empty for the Xmas break ( the alternative it to pay £15 PER DAY! storage equivalent to £315).

I can’t see that they will be reletting their rooms this year? The students where my DC is are all on this 31 week contract and haven’t had chance to meet people in other accommodation ( my DC has one large suitcase to store duvet, lamp, pillow, bedding, towel etc in the event they would call this) but with the year we’ve had we didn’t think the uni would force the issue. They are.

Meaning the students have to be collected by car ( other DC have always travelled by train from other universities) they are not allowing a central room where they can store their items.(unless we pay £315)

I am enraged and wondered if other parents feel the same?

Student Storage Company UK will pick up store and redeliver boxes of stuff, I know it adds expense but can be reasonable for four weeks. We don't drive so we either lug stuff in two large suitcases, plus knapsack (son 2)and collect from station or son 1 stored his stuff using a storage company in uni town over summer

I feel your pain though on the assumption that parents can collect by car.

@LIZS

Dd has heard there will be on campus testing available between 30th and 9th - 2 tests min 5 days apart. However now Scottish govt has decided noone can leave tier 3 or 4 areas unless "essential"

I am at a Scottish uni. The Principal has sent out a communication to say that once students have had the testing and are negative they CAN go back home. I have copied and past the relevant sentences below:

'I am writing to reassure you that yesterday’s announcement by the Scottish Government to make Covid travel restrictions enforceable by law will NOT prevent you travelling home at the end of term.

The Scottish Government has assured us and other universities that students will still be able to leave university at the end of their semester or term and join one other household, such as your family home.'

If you use one of those vacuum bags for pillows and duvet could you reduce the bulk, if not the weight?

@HeartZone

That's cheaper than what we have to pay, 40 week contract was the only option so that's £440 a month for when she won't be there.

@AtiaoftheJulii

I have 2 DD's at university, dp has one and we have the pick up arrangements finally on Friday. Dd1 (halls, no contact time all term) is free to collect a test from the gp anytime from the 30th, I'm picking her up on 6th, Dd2 is part of continuous testing so doesn't need to test and is being dropped home by her housemate, dp's dd can test 5 days after her last contact session but has a car so I don't have to collect her. But it's not plain sailing as we have to deal with the other parents, both keyworkers this still awaiting mixing rules

Thanks @ApolloandDaphne. For dd it should be a formality as she had covid in October. Train ticket booked for 11th.

Thanks nettle I’ll look into that

nettle your brilliant I’ll look into vacuum bags too!

@LIZS My DD uni has told students who have had a positive covid test in last 90 days they should not have any tests pre travel - risk of false positives. This is also the advice given at the mass testing centres in
Liverpool and to NHS workers. If she has “dead” virus still on board, test might be positive and she would have to isolate. Worth checking?