Exeter Uni warns students can’t get ‘complacent’ despite drop in Coivd cases

Exeter Uni students have been warned to stay alert in spite of the fall in coronavirus cases over the past week.

Figures released on the 19th October showed Cases in the University and Pennsylvania region of Exeter had dropped below 100 for the first time in two weeks.

However, the registrar at the University of Exeter has warned students that they’re not out of the woods yet.

“There is good news this week that the number of new positive Covid-19 cases are beginning to fall in Exeter and we are beginning to contain the outbreak.” He said, in an email to students.

He continued: “The latest information on the Devon County Council website shows that in the seven days up to 17^th October there were 199 cases in Exeter with the majority within the university community.

“Dr Virginia Pearson, Director of Public Health for Devon says 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.’ But we must not be complacent.

“The pandemic is not going away and therefore we must adapt and expect to change the way we live, work, study and socialise for the long-term. The last few weeks have shown us that we can prevent the spread of Covid-19 by following the advice of public health experts – give people space who are not in your household, wear a mask in crowded spaces and wash your hands regularly and thoroughly. If you have symptoms, get a test and isolate. If you test positive isolate for at least 10 days.

“I know this can be difficult particularly for our younger students away from home for the first time in a difficult and unfamiliar social situation. We are acutely aware of the impact on mental health and wellbeing and the restrictions on social life so integral to university life. The upside though if we stick to the rules is that we can enable more social interaction, support more society activities and offer more teaching on campus.

“The Students’ Union in Cornwall has already started to step up society activities whilst the Students’ Guild continues to work in partnership with the University to plan to restart Covid-secure society and indoor sport activity with further updates to follow, and the Athletics Union has announced a safe and controlled return to indoor sports.

“Living in the Covid-19 pandemic does not have to define us and there is so much we can do if we follow the guidelines. I know that so many of you are and I hope that you can help us persuade your friends and peers who are not to act for the good of the wider community.”

At the end of his statement, the Registrar addressed students not following Covid regulations, saying: “You may also have seen in the media over the weekend that the police issued fines to several students in our halls for breaking the Covid-19 rules and this does a huge disservice to the vast majority of our students who are abiding by the rules.

“We cannot and will not allow a minority of students to damage your and our standing in the wider community.”

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