University town residents fear coronavirus spikes as students return

More than half of people living in university towns and cities fear that the return of students will lead to coronavirus (Covid-19) spikes and restrictions in their area, according to a survey.

Tens of thousands of students are due back on campus in the coming days. And earlier in September, government scientific advisers warned that significant coronavirus outbreaks linked to universities are “highly likely”.

A new poll has now suggested 57% of people fear local restrictions will result. Nearly half (48%) indicated they will blame the government.

“Vice-chancellors are in denial”

The Survation poll, carried out for the University and College Union (UCU), also found half of respondents believe universities should cancel all face-to-face teaching. Moreover, 57% expressed a lack of confidence in local Test and Trace systems to control outbreaks.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said online learning needs to be the default position. She said the government and universities must “stop selling the lie to students that they can have a full university experience in the current crisis”. She added:

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Vice-chancellors are in denial and creating hygiene theatre to pretend institutions are safe. It cannot be business as normal at the moment and they need to stop pretending that is a credible option.

People do not want to see local outbreaks on their doorstep.

With the Test and Trace system in England at breaking point it is no wonder that the public do not have confidence in the system or this Government.

Without a nationally co-ordinated, comprehensive testing system in place, universities and colleges simply will not be able to cope with outbreaks or potential outbreaks.

The potential for universities to act as hotspots for community transmission is a huge concern. I am calling on universities to listen to trade unions and @independentsage & focus on options including providing quality remote learning in these uncertain times for us all. https://t.co/vQ7fE4jkvx

— lan Byrne MP (@IanByrneMP) September 18, 2020

Warnings from SAGE not heeded

Earlier in September, scientists from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) warned that social interactions and accommodation are likely to be a “high-risk environment” for transmission to occur. It also warned that asymptomatic cases among students may make it harder to detect.

Universities should consider providing dedicated accommodation facilities to enable students who test positive to effectively isolate and minimise the risk of an outbreak, the scientists said. The SAGE paper noted:

There is a significant risk that HE (higher education) could amplify local and national transmission, and this requires national oversight.

A critical risk is a large number of infected students seeding outbreaks across the UK, influencing national transmission.

Industrial action

Grady added:

Our main objective is to help avert a preventable public health crisis.

But if our members are concerned with how their college or university is behaving, we will back them if they vote to move into dispute, which could result in ballots for industrial action.

The online Survation poll was conducted between 11-14 September. It got responses from 1,012 residents aged 18 or over living in 25 university towns and cities in England, said the UCU.