Study in the time of COVID-19 (2019/20 intake): lockdown restrictions, relaxation of rules and repeat... And will the Grinch government cancel Christmas?

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Carrying on from our previous thread.

I believe these threads have probably been running since the summer/autumn of when our DC were about to start/in Year 13 (so 2018)?

@VanCleefArpels I think you are probably right, my DS lives a bit of a self isolated life, so I'm not too worried, it's more about feeling like we'd done whatever possible to protect my friends elderly parents.
Anyway, someone has kindly just posted on the UEA MN site the testing guidelines, they are testing at UEA, but 2 tests required in a short timescale window which I think end around 9th Dec, it will be too early for my DS as he isn't planning to leave till around 20th Dec.

@minesawine

NTU are doing rapid testing from Mon 30th Nov. Details here: NTU Winter Break

Have you signed up to their emails for parents? quite often we get drips of info before the students get it, there was a link to sign up to on their Facebook page a few weeks back (so I can continue my helicopter parenting)

@mum2eim was just coming on to mention the 90 day rule. DD has been told that Uni of Liverpool are offering all students 2 tests a week apart with the 2nd max 24 hours before travel home by 9th UNLESS you’ve tested positive in the preceding 90 days for all the reasons you allude to - I work in NHS and this is advice we are given too. The risk of false positive and all its implications is high in first 3 months after testing positive and the risk of true reinfection is very very low. The Liverpool guidance is very impressive in its clarity - it also suggests students will be retested on arrival back in January (first 2 weeks teaching online tho as this is medical school, not sure if it applies uni-wide)

Thank you @RaptorInaPorkPieHat thats really helpful, I will sign up to the parents emails. I am a proud helicopter parent.

@sergeantmajormum that guidance does sound very clear. I do hope students in other universities are told the same or there will be absolute chaos for their planned return home if the Previous positive students are retested.

www.dur.ac.uk/coronavirus/cases/
Pretty low figures at Durham (uni and staff) but not heard when DD will be tested. She wants to come home 18/19th Dec.

Newcastle has just released their guidance - same as everyone else's + lateral flow test for those without symptoms. Two week rent rebate too. DS thinks he'll come home on the 9th - DH will pick him up ( hoping Premier Inn will be open by then!)

DD says she doesn't know when she wants to come home. She is in a house, and I think they all want to do some Christmassy stuff together before they go home.

Same for my two @Ginfordinner

DS is having Christmas today and tomorrow with his flatmates. He's in charge of Christmas lunch. They've decorated the flat and done the table properly - it looks really lovely!

That sounds lovelyl @LaBelleSauvage123. Spurred on by all this talk of early Christmas celebrations, I'm wondering whether to flout the usual rules and put our Christmas Tree up a week before Advent officially begins.

DD likes to help with putting the tree up so it will get done after she comes home.

She is swamped with work right now, and sent me an essay to proof read yesterday. She hates writing essays as they are not her strong point. Most of her work isn't essay based thank goodness.

I have just sent her a parcel with her Christmas jumper and other Christmas clothes and sneaked in a box of mince pies. The advent calendar I sent arrived on a day when she was feeling rather low, and it cheered her up.

Haha - we sent a similar parcel last week: Christmas jumper, some spare fairy lights, a table runner and placemats we found in the loft and some sage for the stuffing from the garden. Backpacking parent, me? 😆

You sound like such lovely, thoughtful parents. I have sent my DD an advent calendar, and also bought one for DS to take back when he visited a couple of weeks ago, but his bag was too full so I will have to have it myself.

I've sent an advent calendar to DS via Amazon .. he'd taken a Christmas jumper from last year back in September!

"he'd taken a Christmas jumper from last year back in September!"
That's very efficient!!
No idea what ds is planning to do. I don't want to ask just yet as he is unlikely to know or even wanting to tell me. I will try and be patient and not ask till end of the month. I know he has a non-uni related course in the first week of Dec.

And yes also planning to send advent calendar through amazon

Amazon delivered an advent calendar to DD this week too (Plus some thermal socks) but definitely no backpack.

I love how the backpacking phrase continues!

Hi @Zandathepanda. How is your DD2 doing?

I hope your DD2 is well @Zandathepanda.

DD's calendar was an Amazon bath bomb one. The bathroom on her floor is lovely and has a bath in it. In fact, it is bigger than her bedroom.

Ah hello! Hmm not great news from the neurologist but the new meds are working better for Dd2. The consultants gave us best/worst case scenarios and weren’t very tactful considering there was a very anxious young girl there. She is so brave but gets upset as she tries to social distance/wear masks at school but others don’t bother. The teacher (no mask) started off a task where they all had to tap each other on the shoulder (ffs) so she refused. It makes her feel worse.

Dd1 has a few issues with flatmates having parties. We are trying to work out the best and safest way to get her back home after ‘lockdown’. Sooner rather than later methinks.

Oh dear. I hope things improve for you and your family Zanda.

DD's friends are being pretty sensible. They have started thinking about year 3, but it is all up in the air as two of the girls should be doing a year abroad next year. The one housemate who was a bit of a problem has pulled his finger out because he is worried that no-one will want to share with him next year.

That sounds great @LaBelleSauvage123! DS cooked a roast for his housemates last Sunday, and then amazingly used the carcass to make chicken soup - recipe care of a housemates mum!

@Ginfordinner, that’s a lovely idea. And the advent calendars. I haven’t sent any yet as they just plundered them all in a non—advent calendar way but maybe I should.

Oh @Zandathepanda I’m sorry things aren’t looking brighter.

@bigTillyMint Wow, I’m impressed!