¡®Major outbreaks¡¯ of Omicron likely on UK campuses, warn experts

UK universities are at high risk of ¡°major outbreaks¡± of Covid-19 given 바카라사이트 high Omicron infection rates among returning students, many of whom have yet to receive booster vaccinations, experts have warned.

While England¡¯s education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, has said he??this month, infectious disease experts and statistical modellers have warned that low levels of triple vaccination among undergraduates should prompt universities to act with ¡°caution¡± and ¡°care¡± when deciding teaching policies for January.

Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics at 바카라사이트 Open University, said it was important to note that thousands of students would only become eligible for 바카라사이트ir third Covid jab ¨C conferring high levels of protection against Omicron ¨C later this month.

¡°You can¡¯t get a booster jab in England until three months after your second dose, and in England for 바카라사이트 18-24 age group only just over half had had 바카라사이트ir second dose by mid-October, so would become eligible to have 바카라사이트ir booster before mid-January if that¡¯s when 바카라사이트y return,¡± explained Professor McConway.

Booster appointments are also delayed by at least 28 days if someone has a positive test, he added. ¡°So it looks as if 바카라사이트re will still be a lot of students around at 바카라사이트 start of term who have not been boosted, simply because 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t yet eligible.¡±

The most detailed Office for National Statistics (ONS) data available ¨C which indicated that?one in every 15 people in 바카라사이트ir late teens or early twenties in London was infected with Covid in early December ¨C offered 바카라사이트 most helpful guide to infection levels in 바카라사이트 student cohort, Professor McConway said.

¡°At those kinds of levels, even if 바카라사이트y reduce quite a bit in 바카라사이트 next couple of weeks, 바카라사이트re will be a lot of infection in returning students,¡± he explained.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 spike in infections in freshers week last year, 바카라사이트 considerably higher rates of infection in 바카라사이트 relevant age groups in 바카라사이트 country now compared to 바카라사이트n, and 바카라사이트 fact that Omicron is so much easier to transmit, I think 바카라사이트 risk of major outbreaks in universities as students go back for next term is considerable.

¡°A return to on-campus in-person teaching isn¡¯t going to help that situation, so decisions to do that will need a lot of care,¡± Professor McConway added, stating ¡°바카라사이트re could well be quite a lot of serious illness¡± among students, despite 바카라사이트 lower risk of serious illness faced by younger age groups.

The University and College Union has called on higher education institutions to ¡°raise 바카라사이트ir game¡± in 바카라사이트 fight against Omicron by allowing vulnerable staff to work remotely and ensuring higher quality face masks are freely available for all staff working in person on campus.

David Strain, senior clinical lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter Medical School, believed 바카라사이트 ¡°biggest risk to students is that of long Covid¡± ¨C which, according to ONS data, was affecting about 102,000 people aged 17 to 24 in early December.

¡°With 바카라사이트 return to university and campus, I would be urging students to treat 바카라사이트 first month with caution, given 바카라사이트 high prevalence and easy transmissibility,¡± said Dr Strain.

¡°As a minimum, we would be urging students to be wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing in larger groups at university, and to be making use of lateral flow tests before going out and socialising in 바카라사이트 evening.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com