NUS concern over number of students on campus without vaccine protection
Concerns around thousands of potentially unvaccinated or single-jabbed students arriving at Scotland’s universities in September have been raised by the National Union of Scotland.
Matt Crilly, the NUS Scotland president, said the union was “deeply concerned” about the large numbers of students who are under 18 and are therefore ineligible for a vaccine and the vast majority who will likely have only received one dose.
Many university terms will start after the deadline of September 12 set by Nicola Sturgeon for all adults to have received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, with Edinburgh University beginning term on September 14 and Glasgow University beginning teaching on September 20.
However, many students will arrive several weeks prior to this, with new students expected to be able to enjoy a more relaxed freshers week than in 2020, usually the week prior to the beginning of teaching.
Adults are also only considered fully protected two weeks after their second dose, which could be as late as September 26.
Matt Crilly, NUS Scotland president said: "The health
and safety of students and staff is of central importance and that is why NUS Scotland have been calling for the acceleration of vaccines amongst the student population as a priority, giving them as much protection as possible before the return to campus.
"We are deeply concerned that a large cohort of students are under 18 years old and not eligible for a vaccine, while most students won’t have full protection from their second dose.”
The likelihood of all adults having received two doses by September 12 is also diminishing, with just 67.8 per cent of
those aged between 18 and 29 having received a first dose as of July 15.
The deadline for all adults to have been given a jag is July 18.
The concerns come as the Scottish Government published its guidance for universities ahead of a post-level zero return to campuses.
Institutions will be expected to restrict the number of students in popular lectures and to “operate in a protective way” in regards to those unvaccinated or lacking full protection from Covid-19 in universityrun student accommodation.
Last year, the second wave of Covid-19 began in student halls as students took advantage of relaxed socialisation rules and poor infection prevention standards.
Alongside this, guidance also states international students will be expected to quarantine as detailed by the ‘traffic light’ travel restrictions system, with universities potentially able to host arriving international students from red list countries.
Reacting, Mr Crilly called on any quarantine fee to be waived for international students.
He said: “The new term is fast approaching and we still don't have clarity on how international students will be supported to self-isolate upon arrival.
"We need a serious plan that centres student safety and wellbeing.
"We also continue to call for the proposed quarantine fee to be waived for international students.”
The concerns were echoed by Michael Marra, Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson, who said students needed more than “woolly words of guidance” to feel safe arriving on campus.
Mr Marra called for full vaccinations ahead of the start of the semester.
He said: “Last year students were treated as an afterthought, with disastrous consequences, but the SNP’S lighttouch approach suggests we’re on track to make the same mistakes all over again.
“From vaccination to wellbeing to international students, all the key questions remain unanswered and we are running out of time to answer them.”
A spokesperson for Universities Scotland said the guidance “reflects intensive engagement” between institutions, the government and student representatives, and echoed calls for an adequate supply of hotel quarantine options for international students.
The spokesperson said: “We’re expecting a ‘new normal’ for the new academic year. For instance we’re not envisaging the immediate resumption of large lectures.
"However, we look forward to providing the seminars and tutorials, laboratory experience and work experience that are so important to students’ progression.
“Work with the Scottish Government continues on how best to provide a supportive quarantine for international students as they arrive.
"We have been exploring whether some of this demand can be met by institutions themselves, so the connection with the institution starts immediately and takes full account of student wellbeing, but this could only ever be part of the solution.”
‘It's now beyond critical’: nightlife firms in need of further cash to stay afloat, says industry body
Firms operating in Scotland’s nightlife sector are “now out of time” – and in urgent need of the Scottish Government allowing them to trade without restriction or providing much more financial support, according to a leading figure in the industry.
Gavin Stevenson is vicechair of the Night Time Industries Association Scotland (NTIAS) and director of the Mor-rioghain Group, a portfolio of venues in the North-east, including the historic Gellions pub in Inverness.
He has described being “very disappointed” when First Minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier this week confirming that as of this coming Monday, nightclubs will have to remain shut – while pubs, for example, will have a curfew of midnight. The latest Scottish stance also contrasts with England, where
By Emma Newlands
nightclubs can reopen as of Monday.
Mr Stevenson said it had "become increasingly clear that hospitality businesses in Scotland are at a severe disadvantage to their counterparts south of the Border”.
He has previously pointed out that by April this year, each hospitality premises was, on average, £90,000 in debt, with larger venues facing debts of up to £150,000. NTIAS earlier this year launched legal action against the Scottish Government regarding Covid restrictions.
Those in the industry are “distraught”, he has now added, saying: “We effectively appear to be destroying the Scottish hospitality sector with absolutely no account being taken of the financial damage and the economic harms that are being done.
"Every day that goes by without lifting restrictions, more and more businesses are failing ... either the Scottish Government doesn't know the damage that their restrictions are causing – or they don't care.”
He also called for Scotland’s powers to be to speed up the pace of vaccinations, after the rate recently slowed.
The Uk-wide NTIA has spoken out against proposed vaccine passports – a position backed by Mr Stevenson.
“We don't believe that vaccine passports are appropriate,” he said, highlighting the challenge that would be faced by hundreds of small premises across the country “trying to generate their own policy on that, or to try and establish proof ”.
Mr Stevenson also said the Scottish Government “does not understand how the sector works, does not understand adequately the risks involved, have not, in any way, meaningfully consulted with this sector at all, throughout the course of the pandemic”.
He said unless Holyrood “wants to keep on penalising businesses north of the Border, then they have to radically up their level of support, if they don't want to see thousands of businesses go bankrupt and tens of thousands of staff losing their jobs”.
“It's now beyond critical,” he said. “Time has run out.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson stressed the financial support measures available for nightlife businesses, saying: “We do not underestimate the severe impact the pandemic is having on the night-time sector and restrictions will not be kept in place a day longer than necessary. We continue to engage regularly with businesses on the impact.”