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)?

Those due to be on clinical placements are expected to complete them. There is the expectation that most will be in a position to access testing on account of the placement.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/student-movement-and-plans-for-the-end-of-autumn-2020-term#healthcare-students-on-placements

My DS's housemates on placements don't get testing.

Dd - on placement all the time this year - does not get tested either. But I’m hoping they will have one before they come home

Interesting document . Seems to be a request to students to return home once the current restrictions lifted ie from 3rd December subject to a number of caveats . They do say testing will be based on a range of factors such as local prevalence , if testing is available already and the % of high risk students ( not sure what that means ) . I guess it’s a challenge to produce a one size fits all document when there are variables .
In a nutshell it seems to be go home in a staggered fashion from the 3rd , have a test first and if negative ‘ bugger off immediately ‘ .

Surely it doesn't matter when they come home as long as they get tested beforehand (and test negative)? Or am I being obtuse?

And yes, you can just imagine the train companies rubbing their hands in glee at the sudden rush on ticket sales for that timeframe (and no doubt, accompanying hike in prices).

DD will no doubt leave it until the last day unless she gets a job back home. Train prices will be ridiculous I’m sure but don’t fancy an 8 hr round trip to get her.

@Benjispruce2 I advised DS to book his tickets a week or so ago, in anticipation of the imminent sudden demand from students. However, that's on the basis of him not coming home until much closer to Christmas, so goodness knows where that leaves him now.

Yes I don’t think DD had planned to leave until around 20th. Unless she has a job which is looking unlikely in the current climate.

DS’s reaction to the news was ‘ we better start making our Christmas plans in the flat now’ - I think some very early Christmas parties will be taking place! They were going to start house hunting after lockdown was lifted - ah well.

Ds won't want to come home until a couple of days before Christmas. He has suggested not coming home at all as he'd rather be with housemates than home. But I'm sure the other housemates will be going home.

This brought a smile to my face today

@bengalcat 🤣🤣🤣

My ds once tried digging a hole under the fence so they could escape. They worked at it for several days until he told me and I told on him foiled the great escape plan.

Dd's not sure what's happening about coming home now. She'd booked train tickets for 9th so she could travel when there weren't so many people on the train...

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 I think it's so that students can still isolate for 14 days and still be home in time for Christmas should they test positive between 3-9 Dec

Who is going to look after & provide food to any students stuck alone in flats because they tested positive ? Some students have been very ill and leaving them alone for 14 days seems an accident waiting to happen.

DD is planning on partying (within rules) after 2/12 and so will many if not most students. It’s natural after 4 weeks of being trapped in their houses/halls.

@Benjispruce2 that's presuming that they can party with anyone other than their bubble. My gut feeling is that we won't be able to openly socialise much (if at all) outside our bubbles before Christmas. I think the shops and restaurants/pubs will reopen shortly thereafter but suspect we won't be making merry indoors with friends and extended family until much closer to the 25th.

I presumed pubs would open on 2/12 and she was in tier 2 which allowed going out with your household. They quite enjoyed sit down clubbing!

@mumsneedwine

Who is going to look after & provide food to any students stuck alone in flats because they tested positive ? Some students have been very ill and leaving them alone for 14 days seems an accident waiting to happen.

That's worrying. I know if any of DD's friends tested positive she would stay behind to keep them company and make sure they were OK.

Well I'm super confused now! I had hoped most students would stay till end of term but obviously they are now being encouraged to go earlier, not great news for my UEA DS2 as he's likely to be left alone in his student house, he could go and stay with DS1 in Bournemouth but would have to move again nearer Christmas to stay with my friend. Will that be allowed?
All a bit of a mess for us!
Meanwhile here in Montreal our lockdown has been extended again till the end of November, we did however manage to get out of the city and stayed in a log cabin on a lake for a few days, it was lovely, so quiet, so dark and oh so many trees. 😂

mum that is indeed one of the reasons we are going to get DS this weekend.

Well Ds has booked his train home now for the 5th. I hope he will be allowed to travel that day but how would they stop him anyway?

I'm
A bit confused by this !! Just texted DS and he reckons more for people in halls ? .. I'm picking him up anyway so he doesn't need to get the train .. is this another great Boris plan !!

@Alicatz66, I think it probably is aimed at Freshers/those in halls because adult students paying rent in private houses surely can’t be forced home at a set time?

DD said today that she will probably come home as normal as she doesn’t want to pay silly prices when everyone tries to get a coach at the same time!

DD and housemates are going to isolate themselves for the last 2 weeks of term rather than come home earlier - a couple of them have exams and home scenario not conducive to working. I agree with this approach entirely and trust them to be sensible to avoid as much risk as possible before coming home (they are in a v low infection area anyway)

I suspect that this is what DD and her housemates would want to do.