New restrictions agreed for students amid clusters of Covid-19 in Scottish universities
Students in Scotland have been banned from going home to their families, attending parties or going to the pub this weekend, as the number of universities reporting outbreaks grows.
Scotland’s national clinical director Jason Leitch confirmed on 24 September that new rules in Scotland to stop the spread of Covid-19, which stop members of two separate households from meeting in private homes, would apply to students.
On social media Leitch stressed that students living in halls and flats are counted as a separate household to their parents. “The law is clear: they can’t meet indoors with another household—even mum and dad. Sorry,” he wrote, though he noted there are exceptions such as students with caring responsibilities.
His comments came after a number of universities in Scotland confirmed coronavirus outbreaks. On 24 September the University of Glasgow said it had 172 cases of Covid-19 at two student residences, and it “would expect this number to rise over coming days” as it increases the number of tests being carried out. More than 600 students are in self-isolation.
The outbreaks are not limited to Glasgow.
Around 500 students are also isolating at a hall of residence near Abertay University after a “small number” of students in the private hall tested positive, while Edinburgh Napier University confirmed it was dealing with 120 cases of Covid-19. St Andrews University has had 12 confirmed cases since the start of its autumn term, and it recently chastised students for attending an illegal party.
Amid the sharp rise in outbreaks, Universities Scotland, which represents vice-chancellors, released a series of measures on 24 September, including a ban on parties and socialising outside of students’ households.
Students will be told to stay away from bars and restaurants this weekend, and they must not meet up with people outside of their accommodation. The vice-chancellors’ body said breaches of the rules “will not be tolerated”.
“While we first want to advise students about breaches of discipline, we will not hesitate to escalate this to disciplinary action including potential discontinuation of study,” the group wrote.
But National Union of Students Scotland president Matt Crilly said the rules “unfairly blames students for the spread of coronavirus and takes the unjustified step of applying different rules to students over and above the rest of the adult population”.
“Having different rules for students makes it even more confusing to stay within guidance, which could make things less safe. And the rules show a complete disregard for students’ mental health and wellbeing. We need better,” he added.
The measures come after UK health secretary Matt Hancock on 24 September refused to rule out sending students in England into lockdown over Christmas.
University and College Union general secretary Jo Grady said it was “completely irresponsible to let students go back to university when outbreaks have already started” and again called for all face-to-face teaching to move online.
Full list of measures announced by Universities Scotland:
- All universities will make absolutely clear to students that there must be no parties, and no socialising outside their households. Breaches will not be tolerated.
- This weekend, the first of the new tighter Scottish Government guidance, universities will ask students to avoid all socialising outside of their households and outside of their accommodation, and not to go to bars or other hospitality venues.
- Universities will increase the staff presence in student accommodation, to be vigilant against any breaches of guidance and also to offer welfare and practical support to students who are experiencing isolation.
- Universities will engage further with private providers of student accommodation, especially those with significant numbers of bed spaces, to follow their lead and strictly enforce guidance.
- They will intensify work with Police Scotland, to ensure vigilance about student behaviour off-campus and in private accommodation.
- Universities will take a strict ‘Yellow Card/Red Card’ approach to breaches of student discipline that put students and others at risk, but warnings over breaches will give way to disciplinary action “including potential discontinuation of study”.
- They will try to immediately respond to cases to help manage the pressures on the public health authorities.
- All students will be required to download the Protect Scotland app.