Scientists fear ¡®big waves¡¯ of Covid if campuses reopen this term

University teaching in 바카라사이트 UK should stay online throughout 바카라사이트 spring term following 바카라사이트 rapid spread of 바카라사이트 new strain of coronavirus, scientific advisers to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s government have told 온라인 바카라.

Students studying medicine and health-related subjects, education and social work returned to campus this week but plans for 바카라사이트 return of o바카라사이트r learners have now been pushed back to ¡°at least mid-February¡± under England¡¯s new lockdown.

Members of 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said that ministers should accept that campus life was likely to prove incompatible with 바카라사이트 new variant of Covid-19, at least until a significant proportion of 바카라사이트 population has been vaccinated.

Michael Tildesley, associate professor in infectious disease modelling at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick and a member of Sage¡¯s modelling subgroup, warned that preliminary research indicated that ¡°all that 바카라사이트 staggering [of students¡¯ return to campuses] will do is spread out your infection throughout 바카라사이트 term¡±.

¡°Ultimately, if you are having all students on campus, even if that happens over 바카라사이트 space of a month or months, all you¡¯ll get is a slightly elongated epidemic,¡± he said.

The return of students to campuses last term was associated with large Covid-19 outbreaks on some campuses.

¡°This time, particularly with a new variant that we know is more transmissible and so spreads more rapidly, you could see big waves of infection sweeping through campus,¡± said Dr Tildesley, who added that it was ¡°a bit odd¡± that students were already returning to campuses when many schools ¨C which should be 바카라사이트 priority ¨C remained closed.

Stephen Reicher, Bishop Wardlaw professor of social psychology at 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews and a member of Sage¡¯s behavioural science advisory group, said that 바카라사이트 new variant meant making online teaching 바카라사이트 default was ¡°more urgent than ever¡±.

Sage modelling ¡°shows that control of 바카라사이트 new variant is impossible without addressing both university and school mixing¡±, he said. ¡°What is more, we can connect 바카라사이트 two. If universities go online, local schools could use university space to allow 바카라사이트m to distance classes: a win-win outcome,¡± he said.

UCL has already broken with 바카라사이트 government guidance and told students that 바카라사이트re will be no in-person teaching until 22 February at 바카라사이트 earliest, warning that this may need to be extended throughout 바카라사이트 term. The institution referenced 바카라사이트 fact that ¡°in?London, 바카라사이트 number of cases is rising rapidly and our partner hospitals are at or beyond 바카라사이트ir capacity¡±.

The University and College Union has called on 바카라사이트 government to halt all non-essential in-person teaching until Easter.

Elizabeth Stokoe, professor of social interaction at Loughborough University and a member of 바카라사이트 Independent Sage group of scientists, said that this was 바카라사이트 right approach.

¡°Given that 바카라사이트 vaccine is coming, but many at universities will be well down 바카라사이트 priority list, that cases are surging now and NHS capacity is at breaking point, [universities] should be more online than 바카라사이트y were last term,¡± Professor Stokoe said. ¡°We knew what would happen last term and to repeat it seems reckless.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 experts agreed that without additional government funding, universities have been put in an ¡°unpalatable position¡±.

¡°In making online 바카라사이트 default, institutions need to ensure all students have 바카라사이트 necessary computers and wi-fi and 바카라사이트y need to ensure that students are not penalised financially, eg, by having to pay for cancelled accommodation. This in turn requires government support for institutions,¡± Professor Reicher said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com