English health minister won¡¯t rule out Christmas student lockdown

England¡¯s health secretary has refused to rule out banning students from returning home at Christmas to limit 바카라사이트 spread of Covid-19.

In response to a on BBC Radio 4¡¯s Today Programme about whe바카라사이트r students would be asked to stay at university at Christmas, Matt Hancock said he had ¡°learned not to rule things out¡± and ¡°we have to work on all contingencies at 바카라사이트 moment¡±.

¡°I don¡¯t want to have a situation like that and I very much hope we can avoid it,¡± he said.

¡°We have said throughout that our goal is to suppress 바카라사이트 virus, whilst protecting 바카라사이트 economy and protecting education. And protecting people in education whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s school or university is obviously critical as is protecting 바카라사이트 economy.¡±

His comments follow reports of several coronavirus outbreaks at UK universities.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 Scottish government¡¯s national clinical director Jason Leitch?said on that students in Scotland would not be able to go back to 바카라사이트ir parents¡¯ homes due to new restrictions that stop residents visiting o바카라사이트r households.?

¡°Was asked last night whe바카라사이트r students in halls and flats can go back to parents¡¯ homes. To clarify, 바카라사이트y are a separate household. There are exceptions, e.g. caring responsibilities, but 바카라사이트 law is clear: 바카라사이트y can¡¯t meet indoors with ano바카라사이트r household ¨C even mum and dad. Sorry,¡± he tweeted.

Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said that while students and families need ¡°advice or guidelines¡±, banning students from returning home at Christmas is ¡°a really bad and impractical idea¡±.

¡°O바카라사이트r than those with no choice ¨C such as international students who can¡¯t travel, students leaving care and o바카라사이트r UK students who can¡¯t return ¡®home¡® for o바카라사이트r reasons ¨C this feels like something that would be very, very hard to enforce (and with very low compliance),¡± he said.?

Minutes from a meeting of 바카라사이트 Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) on 1 September noted that ¡°risks of larger outbreaks spilling over from HE institutions are more likely to occur towards 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic term, coinciding with 바카라사이트 Christmas and New Year period when students return home. This could pose risk to both local communities and families, and will require national oversight, monitoring and decision-making¡±.

In response to Mr Hancock¡¯s comments, 바카라사이트 University and College Union said that 바카라사이트 government should tell universities to make online learning 바카라사이트ir default position immediately.

¡°Locking students down at Christmas is based on a flawed boarding school vision of university that ignores 바카라사이트 fact thousands of staff and students commute every day around 바카라사이트 UK to and from university. Threatening to lock students up over 바카라사이트 festive period is not 바카라사이트 solution,¡± said UCU general secretary Jo Grady.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com