Voluntary lockdown for St Andrews
Students at the University of St Andrews have been asked to observe a “voluntary lockdown” this weekend in light of rising coronavirus cases.
The university asked for the lockdown to come into effect at 7pm yesterday and said all events planned for this weekend would be postponed.
T h e s t a t e me n t f r o m S t Andrews principal Professor Sally Mapstone issued yesterday said: “It is now very clear that rates of Covid infection are surging again in various parts of this country and it is ver y likely that we are ver y cl ose t o a f orm of f ur t her
national lockdown. The First Minister of Scotland has today spoken of the urgent need to interrupt the chain of transmission of the virus.
“In these circumstances, I am writing to all of our students t o ask you t o please observe a voluntary lockdown this weekend, effective from 7pm this evening.
“This means that I am asking you all to remain in your rooms as much as possible, not to party, not to go to bars or restaurants, and to avoid mixing with any groups outside your own households.”
Prof Mapstone added: “I appreciate that this request will appear to some of you to be premature, but a hallmark of this pandemic has been that, as a society, we have acted too slowly in the past, and thousands of people have died unnecessarily as a result.
“Early action saves lives, and we have an opportunity as one community to take action to protect ourselves. We acted swiftly i n March when the pandemic first hit Fife and the situation we face now is just as serious.” Prof Mapstone said the situation would be kept under review throughout the weekend.
Police had been called to disperse a gathering of about 50 young people on a beach in the town on Friday last week.
The previous day, NHS Fife said two people with links to the university had tested positive for Covid- 19. The health board said: “There is no evidence at this stage that the two cases are linked and the risk of onward transmission within the wider community is considered to be low.”