West Midlands university bosses in vow to go on despite Covid fears
University chiefs have vowed to keep going despite a rise in coronavirus cases across the West Midlands – and have said students shouldn’t be kept away from their families this Christmas.
Students across the country have been locked down in their halls of residence after positive coronavirus cases reported on campuses, causing outrage among parents and young people.
Health secretary Matt Hancock also refused to rule out banning students from returning home at Christmas, to limit the spread of coronavirus outbreaks.
Vice chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton Professor Geoff Layer said no lockdowns were in place at the university’s Wolverhampton or Walsall campuses – and strict measures were in place to support any students who had to self-isolate.
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He also said students should be able to go home for Christmas.
“The health and wellbeing of our students, staff and local communities is our top priority,” he said.
“We remain committed to ensuring students have the best learning experience possible, but are also placing the safety of students and staff at the heart of everything we do.
"We have measures in place to support any students who have to self-isolate.
“We expect students to be at home for Christmas but we will put measures in place if the situation changes.”
Staffordshire University has also said students will be allowed to go home for Christmas unless new Government rules come into place, despite having one confirmed case so far.
Lonely Christmas fears
‘I would be very sad if I was forced to spend Christmas in halls. It is all about family, so you’d want to be home’.
International student Capucine Lespagnol, aged 20, is concerned about how the growing number of coronavirus cases might affect her return to France for the winter holidays.
She lives in halls at the University of Wolverhampton and is studying business.
“We are not really sure what is happening at the moment, or if we will even be allowed to go back to France. We haven’t had any information from anyone,” she said. “We aren’t sure at the moment if we can go to university for face-to-face classes – we are just waiting for information.
“It is all a bit weird inside the accommodation block, you’re in a bubble now with the people you live with – and you don’t really see anyone else in the block.”
This reality is the same for many students across the UK, with plenty feeling trapped inside their individual bedrooms alongside people they barely know. Their fear was only exacerbated when health secretary Matt Hancock said the government was considering keeping students in halls over Christmas – away from their families – to stop the virus spreading.
April Horner, aged 23, is studying adult nursing at the university. She moved into halls from her home in Newcastle, and said: “I have a friend who is at university in Hull and she can’t even leave her room. But if we had to stay here for Christmas then we would just have to do it.”
Louise Vilemme, 21, is from Belgium, and is studying media. She said: “If we had to spend Christmas in the halls, it would not be too bad if all the students were here – if it was just me stuck here it would be very lonely.
"Christmas is really important to me, I love it. It is about spending time with your family. I’ve been in quarantine for 14 days since arriving from Belgium. The first couple of days were really hard but you made friends quickly and you have people to talk to – we were all in the same boat. But we wanted to get out and about and see the city.”
Mathis Esnault, 21, is from France and said he might not even be coming back to Wolverhampton after the first term.
He said: “I spent a week alone during my quarantine period, as I arrived here earlier than others on September 7. I was alone during that first week and it was very difficult. I was the only one in the block. But it was better the second week when more came into the halls.”
Luke Horne has moved into halls at from Somerset. The 20-year-old, who does health studies, said: “If we had to spend Christmas here then I would, at the end of the day I don’t want to put my family at risk.”
The University of Wolverhampton has major campuses in both its home city, Telford, Walsall and Stafford. Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoff Layer, said: “We are working with our students to ensure they are aware of the national guidelines and the local restrictions in Wolverhampton.”
Staffordshire University bosses say they have planned for local lockdown restrictions. A spokesman said: “Staffordshire University currently anticipates our students will be able to return home over the Christmas period however if we are advised otherwise by the relevant authorities we will notify our students.”
And Birmingham City University said staff had received positive feedback so far from students who are “just pleased to be able to get on with their lives”.
