Students not to blame for increase in infections, says SAGE

Independent SAGE has said that the government must stop blaming young people and students for increasing rates of COVID-19 and focus on fixing its Test and Trace system.
 
With infection rates currently highest among 17-24 year olds and at least 45 UK universities tackling COVID-19 outbreaks, the panel of scientists, chaired by former Chief Scientific Adviser Sir David King, claims that stereotypes are “misleading” and that young people are just as likely as older people to be compliant with social distancing regulations.
 
In response to the deteriorating situation in UK universities, Independent SAGE has renewed its calls for universities to switch to online teaching with immediate effect and to give students “the right to return home to study” at any point in the term with accommodation fees refunded.
 
It has also refuted the idea that COVID-19 outbreaks on campus are due to students flouting social distancing rules. “With young people arriving from different parts of the country into shared accommodation it’s created a human petri dish,” says Professor Susan Michie of University College London. “It’s not down to students misbehaving, the situation was inevitable.”
 
Latest figures show that rates of infection nationally appear to be “slowing but still growing”, according to Professor Christina Pagel of University College London, with increasing gaps opening up between the north of England and the rest of the country. In parts of the north infection rates are now more than four times higher the national average.
 
However, test and trace capacity appears to be down in the last fortnight, with 10% fewer positive cases being reached. “New restrictions have bought us some time but now we need to start doing some fixing,” said Pagel.
 
Professor Stephen Reicher of the University of St Andrews said: “We need an overall integrated strategy and a critical part of that strategy must be test and trace. Restrictions without test and trace are pointless.”
 
Independent SAGE has also expressed concern that the introduction of £10,000 fines for failing to self-isolate could be acting as a deterrent to people getting a test and disclosing details of their contacts. “We need to move away from a culture of blame to one of support,” said Reicher.