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Government considering locking down universities for two weeks to get students home for Christmas

A senior figure in the universities sector told i: 'This seems to be the direction of travel'

The Government is considering a two-week lockdown for universities in England before Christmas to stop students taking coronavirus home to their communities. 

The idea is set to be discussed at a meeting between the universities minister Michelle Donelan and higher education leaders on Thursday, The Guardian reported.

A senior figure in the universities sector told i: “This seems to be the direction of travel”. 

But they said “lots of the details and nuances remain unclear”, including whether there would be Covid testing available “for those at higher risk but potentially asymptomatic”. 

Self-isolation

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson makes statement to the House of Commons on the return of students to Universities. PA Photo. Picture date: Sunday November 29, 2015. See PA story EDUCATION Universities. Photo credit should read: House of Commons/PA Wire
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said some students might have to complete a quarantine period (Photo: AP)

Last month, the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said that some students might have to complete a quarantine period before leaving campus. 

Mr Williamson told MPs: “Where there are specific circumstances that warrant it there may be a requirement for some students to self-isolate at the end of term, and we will be working with the sector to ensure this will be possible, including ending in-person learning early if that is deemed to be necessary.” 

His comments came after the Government promised that students would be able to return home to their families at Christmas.

The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, had previously refused to rule out warnings reported by i that students might have to be remain on campus over Christmas

Staggered end dates

The Guardian reported the current plan was for universities to go into lockdown from 8 December until 22 December.

However, a Government source distanced themselves from the idea, pointing out that universities did not share the same end of term dates. 

In September, Scotland’s higher education minister Richard Lochhead also said that he was looking at “staggered term end dates” to ease the return of students, and that the Scottish Government would “work with the UK Government and other administrations to bring as much consistency across these islands as much as possible.” 

This week the UK Government said that universities had reported that there were currently 9,000 cases of the coronavirus among students. Across the UK 113 universities have reported cases since the start of term. 

The Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) urged ministers on 21 September to shift all university teaching online – a move backed by the University and College Union – but the Government has so far resisted issuing a blanket order. 

The Department for Education said: “All students will be able to go home at Christmas if they so choose. If students are travelling home, we must ensure they do so in a way which minimises the risks of spreading the virus, and the date when universities must stop in-person teaching will be an important part of this. We will set out details on this shortly.

“We have issued clear guidance setting out four tiers of restrictions for education settings, and continue to work closely with universities and public health officials to make decisions about what measures need to be applied.”

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