Does anyone know what the planning is if Covid hits halls of residence?

Just processing through how students who have to isolate but share a kitchen with 8 others and a corridor with 16 which has to be crossed to reach a kitchen…? They can’t send a wave of them off home to infect wider (?)

Eldest_oab reporting a near total lack of care and responsibility being shown in his halls. We witnessed it last week, and he suggests its worse now. There’s 2000 of them on one site.

I’m working out plans of how to get him some food should he become ill, so he doesn’t have to go to the kitchen and can basically isolate in his room for a fortnight…

What’s the science on transfer from surfaces now? There was lots of talk back in early days of this, but seems to be more focussed on direct transfer between people now?.

IMO this has a big bearing on your lads situation.

I read 96% of transmission was airborne. Anyway, halls disaster waiting to happen, loads of 18 year olds off the leash for the first time, what could go wrong. Worse thing is my 16 year old is in the middle of it all in Manchester, she says half of those around her are planning parties this weekend.

Ours halls are just reopening as international student etc arrive to isolate. They are reporting they have a large welfare team as part of this who if a student needs to self-isolate will help deliver meals etc. How this works in practice waits to be seen. Your son’s Uni hopefully has some guidance online and via his accommodation service. It very much varies from Uni to Uni, depending on the make up of the campus etc. This is our online stuff: https://accommodation.leeds.ac.uk/info/1/prospective_students/114/coronavirus_covid-19_faqs_for_applicants#self-isolate though it appears they get more info when they arrive which will be block specific.

One of the SAGE scientists works at Leeds and has been part of the replanning process to get the campus open (though we are one of the last Uni’s to do so…..!)

You are right – the guidance is there, the posters up, the expectations in place.

2000+ freshers, plus alcohol, plus lounges closed to prevent gatherings, plus a layout of halls that needs to put a mask on every time you go to the kitchen = no masks, everyone gathering in smaller kitchen, “close personal contact” rife, hand gel dispensers are tiny so need refilling 4x a day (so are not filled) etc etc. Basically, 2000 freshers are all but ignoring the controls.

what are you actually wanting done matt or are you just venting on here? Can’t hold their hands and wrap them up in cotton wool, these students are “adults” now finding their way in the world.

I work P/T in a halls as said above they are told what the the rules and regulations are, they agree to these when they check in and posters, leaflets are everywhere but they can’t be forced into doing these things by hall/uni staff a certain amount of self responsibility and peer pressure from each other would go a long way. As would stopping being so self entitled and think of others.

I work P/T in a halls as said above they are told what the the rules and regulations are, they agree to these when they check in and posters, leaflets are everywhere but they can’t be forced into doing these things by hall/uni staff

I work at a uni – not a student-facing role – and we are looking at trying to force them by tying ‘adherence to the covid rules’ in to our normal ‘student conduct’ rules, which if breached can result in penalties (and ultimately being booted out). But we’re also delaying the return to campus for most students until mid-October, so we’ve got time to see what happens at other unis and change our plans accordingly.

My daughter hopefully off to Uni this weekend and in halls.

At £6700 for the year (self catered) I’m hoping they’ll decide to deliver all her meals on a silver trolley to her room if she has to go into self isolation.

I’m getting second hand reports as eldest is Year 13, so a year away from it but he’s got friends just gone away.

Get the impression that the layout of halls essentially makes them little leper colonies, and the likelihood is that the next 4-6 weeks will just see Covid added to the usual mix of Freshers Flu, meningitis and chlamydia. Unis are talking the talk about welfare and must have something in place from a risk/H&S perspective.

Bigger worry has to be students heading back home as soon as there is an outbreak and spreading it back round the country and wider population. I’d like to think unis can find the line as far as trying to impose discipline goes, but suspect it needs any big flagrant breaches of the rules to be kicked out asap to set an example of what responsibility needs to look like this year.

(and ultimately being booted out)

I can just see the queue of outraged parents now,defending their Tarquin/Matilda’s of this world.

Anyway during this covid period can’t make them homeless by booting them out, we have one international student who point blank refuses to pay rent as she knows how to play the system. Her debt is in excess of many £000’s now.

We also have Uni’s who are already running £Ms of forecast debt as a result of Covid. Some smaller Unis are likely to collapse as a result of this. We have to continue student education to keep these places afloat, as well as for the futures of our young people, and I know how hard every members of staff has worked to try and make this work as best we can. People are busting a gut for this to work and literally keep the places alive. There are 10000s of peoples jobs on the line. As per above everything has been put in place to try the upmost to keep everyone safe – we cant move walls in student halls and as bruneep said these are adults who have to abide by the government rules the same as the rest of us. It’s no different to some of my postgraduates who live in 10+ tenant houses not under the Uni control.

Bigger worry has to be students heading back home as soon as there is an outbreak and spreading it back round the country and wider population.

This is a government thing, not the Uni’s. We have been told we need to get back up and running and students are going to be ****’d paying £9k a year for everything to be at home – especially in practical subjects like mine.

I 100% agree Uni’s are breeding grounds – students come to Uni to not socially distanced! Autumn is awful for bugs, which is why staff are v limited on how much campus access they are allowed.

Get the impression that the layout of halls essentially makes them little leper colonies

Some are better than others. I’ve got two daughters in halls this year – one is in a “townhouse” which sleeps 12 people on 3 floors and is completely separate from the other “houses”. It would be simple to isolate a floor/house if required.

Other daughter is in a “flat” for 6. Again it would be pretty simple to isolate this flat from the rest of the building.

That said I’m not sure just how trustworthy the kids are going to be regardless of the posters/stickers/advice.

Eldest daughter is in her second year at Leeds and in a rented house – I mentioned the leicester lad fined £10k for the party and she said she’d heard of £80k of fines issues between just 3 houses over the weekend!!

I 100% agree Uni’s are breeding grounds – students used to come to Uni to not [be] socially distanced!

I’d like to think that if there was a better option we would have heard about it.

If they self isolate in their rooms, there shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Would hope their new friends help and support them, for the benefit of all. Living in an environment of almost exclusively under 25s must be about as safe as you can get.

(obviously, hope that the >1% of that age group that get it bad get the proffesional medical help and support they need).

It’s the mummy’s boys and girls that go running home every weekend anyway, and will certainly do the same if they get any symptoms, that are going to be the superspreaders.

Never understood this. Apart from university sport, I never left the town (and probably a 2 mile radius) for the duration of term.

Get the impression that the layout of halls essentially makes them little leper colonies

Even in normal times they are, Freshers Flu is what happens when a bunch of horny 18 year olds from across the country get throw together to mingle. That combined with a lack of hygiene and a surpassed immune system from the lack of sleep and amount of booze make for an interesting combo.
On the up side, they’re 18 so the chance of any Covid related issues is vastly lower than the normal freshers problems.

Never understood this.

I was the same as you, was glad to stay away from home ‘till the holidays. But deriding young people who wish to have one foot in their new city or campus, and one foot back home, rather than make a clean break, reflects poorly on you, not them. Especially as their experience and opportunities this autumn and winter will be nothing like ours were.

what are you actually wanting done matt or are you just venting on here?

Nothing really, as you say, they are grown adults.

I think my ask is ‘what is the plan when it all kicks off?’ Are Uni’s sending thousands back home to further spread, or will we see them ask to isolate in their room?

We are fortunate enough that we can pop down if needed and drop off food/clothes/loo roll, so eldest_oab could just hole up in his room for a fortnight.

I agree about the halls layout being shocking for spreading – our sons hall has shared corridors for all, so bedrooms in groups of 8 one side and kitchen & lounge opposite. However the other residents all walk up the corridor between

I think my ask is ‘what is the plan when it all kicks off?’ Are Uni’s sending thousands back home to further spread, or will we see them ask to isolate in their room?

I think that is a fair question. The answer is that the government will tell us nothing in advance… so that we can’t plan for the possibility of it (whatever it is).

[ we’re planning for both … a box of two weeks ambient food, including stuff that doesn’t need cooking, in the back of the daughter’s wardrobe… and prepare to drive and bring her home any day of the week, any week, any month ]

I think the govt have asked Uni’s specifically NOT to send everyone back home, to avoid spreading CV all round the country. The uni where I work is going to have a walk-in test centre on campus so hopefully we can isolate cases pretty early.

he uni where I work is going to have a walk-in test centre on campus so hopefully we can isolate cases pretty early.

Likewise – already staffed onsite by students.

I think my ask is ‘what is the plan when it all kicks off?

Plan? I’m pretty sure neither Matt Hancock or Bojo have one, nor care in the slightest what happens. Students don’t normally vote Tory, so are completely expendable.

Good to hear that two uni’s are planning already.

I will join you Kevin in having a box of food and supplies ready. Loo roll included…!

My Son was in Halls last year not a hope in hell they can keep control of this. The students are too busy having fun. Thank god he’s in digs this year.

JeZ

and prepare to drive and bring her home any day of the week, any week, any month

I do apologise for my earlier flippant remark about going home in term time.

But I do honestly think that if your daughter has to isolate, she should be doing it at her halls of residence home, not travelling across the country to her parent’s house a la Cummings. Likewise she and her peers shouldn’t be considering fleeing a local lockdown en masse.
I know its a tough thing for you as the parent, but she is an adult in her own “home” now.

2 weeks ambient food is a good preparation – I wonder how many parents/students will have thought of this.

Son2 currently self-isolating for two weeks in hall in Ireland before term starts. He’s mixing with a few course mates from Spain, however. He’s had it already and kindly gave it to me. But he is First Officer Sensible, so I’m not worried for him. More worried that the nine grand fees and six grand rent are for a Zoom course. At least they have physical aircraft to play with!

Likewise she and her peers shouldn’t be considering fleeing a local lockdown en masse.

We can’t be certain what the government response to rising cases will be… they are too unpredictable… we are just making sure we are prepared for either stay put or get clear instructions.

I know its a tough thing for you as the parent

No, it really isn’t. And as a parent, the decisions won’t be down to me, I’m just prepared to respond to them.

Cambridge response seems quite impressive- both to protect students and staff, and the community

https://www.cam.ac.uk/news/cambridge-university-to-provide-weekly-coronavirus-testing-for-students-resident-in-colleges?ucam-ref=news-most-popular

Exeter Uni have funded a huge testing programme for their students as well.

No, it really isn’t. And as a parent, the decisions won’t be down to me, I’m just prepared to respond to them.

I meant tough in that for the first time your (eldest?) child has proper away from home independence; and decisions by her, the uni, and the government are entirely beyond your control.

It’s been like for months already, really.

Imagine being stuck in a room at Uni for two weeks…nightmare….oh hang on I mean imagine being stuck in a room at uni for 2weeks with no weed…..

Might be a silly question but who is doing all this weekly testing?

Imagine being stuck in a room at Uni for two weeks…nightmare

I can only base this statement on my own 18 year old self, but do we really think a fresher who’s tested positive, or worse, being caught on track and trace, will do 2 weeks isolation?
No way in the world I would have. Once I felt fine (and likely before) I’d be out on the lash, no question. It’s lonely enough for many in the first term or 2, but 2 weeks in the room as well??

and prepare to drive and bring her home any day of the week, any week, any month

Yeah…. THIS is the real risk.

Pretty much the nightmare scenario is that covid spreads like wildfire through the student community (pretty inevitable IMO), and in response uni’s start sending people home/closing halls, parent start pulling their kids home.

Although some students will get seriously ill, the risk students pose is as vectors to more susceptible people (ie: their parents).

If you are sending your kids to Uni…. they are going to have to stay there until this is all done. Hard to accept – but students going back-and-forwards is a huge and complex population migration and represents probably the single largest risk of virus distribution.

My daughter is off to halls to self isolate for 2 weeks before term starts.  The uni have arranged to put microwave and small fridge into rooms for those self isolating and will deliver food to their rooms during that period.  Not going mad in the same room for 2 weeks is another matter of course

Which Uni leffeboy – ours just waved them all in….

My daughter is off to halls to self isolate for 2 weeks before term starts.

It’ll take 3 knocks in the door and/or 2 nights sat doing nothing before she’s in the pub.

It’s bloody lonely for many in that first term, even if you’re out every night making friends.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I just can’t see anyone staying for 2 weeks in a room.

Dropped my 19 year old at man met on Saturday. We were told only one person allowed in with him to move stuff in but this was ignored by everyone.
Made sure he has plenty of paracetamol and pot noodles and told him if/when he gets ill he will have to stay in for 2 weeks feeling shocking. It’s a flat of 5 in one of the big halls and he seems to need to use a couple of stairwells and a corridor to get in and out- no masks were being worn…
So far he has had virtual entertainment laid on by uni- pub quiz etc but not sure how long that will last… as he’s doing fine art he’s going to be in the studio 4 days a week anyway.
This age group will habe to get it and as long as they don’t bring it home or spread it outside of halls it is manageable.
Much less of a problem than in schools where for instance my sister in law’s teenage girls go home to my 79 yr old diabetic mum’s for tea every night… my sister is a teacher as well so I’m really concerned for mum…

leffeboy, that sounds really switched on… impressive.

As for students being the largest vector… well, if you compare it to a household where two adults work in different towns, and their multiple kids go to multiple schools… some on public transport… then, nah, we all pose a risk to vulnerable people… the focus on the youth is partly deflection by the rest of us, I suspect.

I can only base this statement on my own 18 year old self, but do we really think a fresher who’s tested positive, or worse, being caught on track and trace, will do 2 weeks isolation?

I like to believe that someone who tests positive and has symptoms will do the right thing and self isolate. I am sure some won’t, I suspect that is the same in the wider “non-student” community. I think if you are an assymptomatic positive it becomes harder, and if you are an untested contact (or worse tested negative but still told to isolate as I believe can happen) I think after a few days you are going to struggle. Certainly others will travel home – Cummings has made clear that this is not the wrong thing to do (like his children, a student with asthma might be concerned that if they get sick there is no one to care for them). Personally I’d be more worried about how a uni is going to mitigate the risk of someone becoming very ill and dying in their room whilst nobody notices than inevitable mixing between 16 people on the same corridor.