Students told not to move back home for lockdown

Universities say that students in England should not go home for the lockdown, despite many courses only being taught online.

The government's guidance says universities should consider putting teaching online where possible, in an attempt to reduce spreading coronavirus by ‘unnecessary journeys to attend campus’, but Universities UK says students should still stay put in their current accommodation.

There are 1.2 million students in England who are at a university in a region that is different from their home address - which means they could have to travel between places with different levels of Covid infection.

The guidance says that students should ‘only return home at the end of term for Christmas’, although it remains unclear how or when the departure of students for Christmas will be managed. The government in England does maintain, however, that students will be able to get home at that point.

Pilots have begun for the mass testing of students to prevent the spread of coronavirus - including fast turnaround ‘lateral flow tests’ at Durham and De Montfort universities which will identify students with the virus but without any symptoms.

The National Union of Students has called for students to be told as soon as possible about plans for leaving at the end of term.