Coronavirus: Nottingham students 'question logic' of university return

Students at a university where more than 400 people have tested positive for Covid-19 have accused bosses of failing to prepare properly for their arrival.

The University of Nottingham said there had been at least 425 confirmed cases among its student population.

Students instructed to self-isolate in their accommodation have cited poor care and a lack of communication.

But the university said it was working hard to keep students safe.

One parent of a first-year student currently self-isolating in the Derby Hall catered residential block after testing positive for the virus said sporadic food deliveries had left her "starving".

The man, who did not want to be named, said: "I found out my daughter didn't have her breakfast delivered, and she didn't have her lunch delivered, and by six in the evening she still hadn't had her dinner.

"By the time they got to her, it was cold. She was starving.

"That was the only meal that she got all day, and it was delivered by an apologetic security guy.

"The key thing I think is ridiculous is that this was predictable. The uni have had the whole summer to prepare for this, and they don't appear to have done so.

"They spent the whole summer telling students they'd have as similar to a normal experience as possible, but I think they just didn't want them to defer."

Another student Jabine Qureshi-Wales, who is studying chemical engineering and lives in a flat in Riverside Point, operated by Unite Students, said it was proving "really hard" to get food.

"We're self-isolating, so we can't go shopping. People have been trying to get food deliveries but the reception aren't letting them in," she said.

Another student said the presence of a testing unit right outside her window in Hugh Stewart Hall was having a "damaging" effect on her mental health.

"I literally can't escape from the virus," she said. "It's a constant worry in my head and it's depressing.

"We all feel like the uni just doesn't care about us. It's awful."

A first-year medical student, also self-isolating after a positive Covid-19 test, criticised the communication from the university.

She said she was informed her accommodation was going into lockdown via a note slipped under her door.

"We didn't have an email or anything. It all just kind of happened without any kind of [official] contact," she said.

"It felt really surreal; it didn't feel like it was really happening.

"We all totally appreciate it's such a difficult situation but I would say the communication has initially at least been very poor, and the organisation hasn't been good.

"We appreciate the staff are putting themselves on the line for us but people are questioning the logic of bringing everyone back."

Last week some students told the BBC they felt "like prisoners" after being told to self-isolate in their halls.

An anonymous staff member said some students were failing to follow the rules, putting university workers at risk.

"It's a complete and utter shambles with staff at risk daily," they said.

"I've been on landings where some have symptoms, some don't, yet they're still outside their rooms chatting away.

"We staff have been told we don't police them. They just do what they like and it will only get worse, I'm afraid."

News of the outbreak at the university coincides with a massive spike in Nottingham's seven-day infection rate.

Leader of Nottingham City Council, David Mellen, told the BBC: "When you move about 50,000 extra adults into our city... it could have been anticipated this would have an effect on our infection rates."

He added the fact so many young people were learning online made him question "whether students need to be in a specific place".

A University of Nottingham spokeswoman said they had listened to students in isolation and, "were working with public health partners to put into place additional measures which balance their comfort, physical and mental wellbeing, alongside restrictions needed to keep... safe".

She said they were working with Unite to ensure supermarket deliveries arrived at Riverside Point.

"Students can request a care package from the university and residents are in touch with all self-isolating students to offer pastoral support," she said.

"We are also working to streamline processes and communications to students that are isolating to ensure they are supported as much as possible."

She added the testing site was owned by the government and the university had been assured it would not impact on students living nearby.

She also said students had committed to a "community pledge" which "sets out clear expectations on how they should follow all guidance to reduce the spread of Covid-19".

Unite Students added: "Our staff are working hard to facilitate the delivery of supermarket food deliveries, medicines and parcels during reception opening hours to any student who is self-isolating."

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