Exeter Uni students suspended for breaching coronavirus rules

Exeter Uni has suspended some students for breaching Covid-19 rules.

This comes after videos of mixed-household parties came out over the weekend despite the rule of six. Exeter Uni has also asked students not to mix households.

ITV reported that police were called to a large party on Sunday and two smaller ones on Friday. There were also seven penalty notices sent after a party at a uni hall.

A University of Exeter spokesperson said: “Students are required to abide by our ‘Safe Community Charter’ and the vast majority of students have behaved impeccably but where students break the rules we will take action.

“The University is continuing to work with both the police and local authorities to share information and coordinate responses to any reports of COVID-19 rule breaches. Importantly, the Director of Public Health for Devon reports that we have seen a ‘successful reduction in student cases with no sign of significant spread thanks to the swift actions of the University and other partners in working together to contain the situation.”

Public Health England South West’s Deputy Director of Health Protection Mike Wade has said the Virus needs to be taken more seriously.

He told ITV: “In the South West, there were over 493 cases per 100,000 of population (for the whole of the pandemic), up to 18th October. Scientists estimate the doubling time in the UK for new infections is between eight and 16 days and is even faster in some areas.

“Earlier in the year we were fighting a semi-invisible disease, about which we had little knowledge, and it seeded in the community at great speed. We now know where it is and how to tackle it– let’s all grasp this opportunity and prevent history from repeating itself.”

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