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)?

DD is in Sandford which is close to Jesmond but cheaper.

DS has been waxing lyrical about Jesmond Dene so I think Jesmond or nearby will be popular.

We live rural, and DD loves living in Newcastle, and loves the area she lives in. Being near The Fat Hippo has absolutely nothing to do with it

What do we think the 'guidance' might be?

DD has her first face to face today - a 6 hour lab session. I hope she doesn't find it too gruelling.

What’s the Fat Hippo Gin?

@juicy0 not sure but given that Oxbridge undergraduates must be finishing their term at the end of November/beginning of December, the guidelines should be coming out soon (if any SI is required at the uni end), otherwise they're going to miss a sizeable number of students!

@juicy0 it’s going to be tricky - DD doesn’t finish till 18th Dec (medic) - if she’s tested at beginning of the month, it’s not going to tell us she’s safe to travel 3 weeks later! Unless she SI after test, in which case why not say they all have to isolate anyway? Doesn’t seem thought thru- lots of different end of term dates plus how the unis are supposed to police this when so few actually live “on campus”? I hope they use the rapid tests as in Liverpool and that they can be done closer to date of travel.

Maybe young people will be given a 'window of opportunity' to travel (but perhaps it won't be long before Christmas?), rather then the exodus from universities happening over the course of two/three/four weeks?

I have friends who think we'll be able to galavant around the UK having meet-ups, come December 3rd - I think they are being way too optimistic thinking that!

The news has just broken that they plan to test all students a la Liverpool method from end November. The implication is that once they test negative they should make their way home since the last 2 weeks are online anyway. If they test negative there would seem to be no reason not to use public transport, though it may not be preferred. Those testing positive have to stay and self isolate. My DS has no more f2f anyway. He is still here at the moment and can just as easily work from home as from uni, though he will want to go back. Both my DC are due to finish on 18th December.

@simbobs that's useful to know. I don't think DS was planning on coming home until almost Christmas anyway but the mass testing of students has to be welcomed.

It feels like progress at last.

Okay, word of caution - the advice wrt retesting after a positive test is not to test again for at least 90 days, iirc, because chances are that another 'positive may be returned, given the threshold that the test is set at (enough 'goes' to pick up fragments which do not represent active infection - or, more pertinently, active infectiousness).

Mark Johnson (@MarkJohnsonTw) Tweeted:
@DPH_MAshton Matt quick test are NOT designed for wide scale community testing of asymptotic people
Here's the plan: positive quick test, then PCR. If PCR Ct

Given that a fair few students including my own DD have had Covid as others have indicated a positive test simply means there’s viral RNA present so my own DD and others may still test positive and that could be residual non infectious virus or a new asymptomatic infection .
Am watching with interest at the prospect / proposal of twice weekly testing for NHS staff .
Still they have to start somewhere .

I wonder whether a previous positive covid test will be taken into consideration if residual viral RNA is found? After all, if it can take 90 days to disappear they cannot make them stay alone in their flat over Christmas in such a case, surely? My DD, who had a positive test, would be ok, but DS with the same symptoms and certain that he had it but could not get tested, would be held to be actually infectious. Hmmm....

Okay, I admit thatbI haven't actually read the piece yet, but if negative testing flatmates are going to be allowed to travel and only those testing positive, not, then presumably that's the end of quarantine for contacts out in the real world, as well?

@bengalcat, DD is in the same position - symptomatic and positive test a few weeks ago.

She is a second year, living with other second years in a normal house on a normal street, though, just a resident of the area it is in, not an 18 year old in a hall of residence.

Surely if they only have one test it only means they don't have covid on the day of the test. They can still become positive the next day and take it home. Wouldn't a second test be beneficial?

My DS in Bournemouth tested positive today along with 3 of his 4 flatmates, he's not surprised he was quite unwell last week and still isn't feeling right.
Quite a few of his friends have also tested positive this week.
He's got to isolate for 10 days, his negitive housemate has to SI for 14 days.

Sorry to hear that @Itscoldouthere - I hope he makes a speedy recovery like the majority of students have around the country. DS had Covid this time last month is back to his old self.

Sorry to hear that @Itscoldouthere. Hoping your DS1 feels much better very soon.

Generally, I wonder if it's with the SI symptom-free flatmates/family members that compliance is the main issue?

And yes, icanbewhatiwant I don't really follow the logic at all.

New government guidance published here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/student-movement-and-plans-for-the-end-of-autumn-2020-term

Come what come may, we are going to get DS this weekend after his SI period finishes. We are applying the same system but earlier.

I agree with marching that it seems an interesting rewrite to normal isolation rules!

My two are not due to finish f2f till around the 8th anyway so will be interesting to see if the latest announcement changes that. I’m hoping trains won’t be too booked up!

DS wasn't planning on coming home until much closer to Christmas (partly because he's in the smallest room since DD took over his). I know there are parents on here whose DC may be doing clinical placements etc. who wouldn't be able to come home that early. What of them?

It seems a flawed system before it's even started.

I’m not really sure how they can police it anyway, especially for those not living in halls. And I hope train operators do not decide to hike up costs. I think I will encourage s1 to book a train - he has had Covid already so hopefully less likely to test positive.