Manchester Metropolitan University halls locked down after 127 coronavirus cases

Around 1,700 students are being locked down in Manchester Metropolitan halls of residence tonight after more than 100 coronavirus cases were recorded.

Halls at the university’s Birley campus, as well as Cambridge Hall are to face emergency restrictions for a fortnight, with people living there told to self isolate ‘with immediate effect’.

Last weekend the Manchester Evening News reported hat a number of students were already self isolating at the Birley campus days after a 100-strong party was reported in the courtyard.

Since then, case numbers have soared to 127 across that site and Cambridge Halls, with a number of other students also recording symptoms.

As a result the council, university and Public Health England have jointly agreed to introduce lockdown measures.

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Public Health Director for Manchester David Regan said: ‘An important part of Manchester’s local response and prevention plan for coronavirus is to keep a close eye on the data and act swiftly and decisively where an outbreak is identified in order to contain the virus. That’s what we’ve done here.’

The council said a ‘range of support measures’ had been put in place
for the students in question.

Executive Member for adult health and wellbeing for Manchester council Cllr Bev Craig said: ‘This is obviously very difficult for all of the young people involved and we will be working with the university and other public services to make sure that any of the students affected get the support they need.

‘Students are a vital part of our city, and as part of our plans we expected that numbers could rise as they returned to the city.

‘As a vital part of our city, they are also under the same restrictions and rules as our longer term residents, and that’s why this evidence-based approach is being taken early to reduce the spread.

‘We understand that local residents may be concerned about this situation. We want to reassure them that the evidence so far suggests that transmission has been within the student community only and has not been more widespread.

‘We are taking this collective action to ensure that remains the case.’

University and College Union general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘This is the latest catastrophe in a week where wholly predictable – and predicted – Covid outbreaks have caused havoc on campuses across the UK.

‘We warned last month of the problems with moving thousands of students across the country and the time has come for urgent action from ministers and universities to protect staff and students.

‘Manchester Metropolitan University shifting teaching online only for foundation and first year students exposes the total absurdity of the current position of trying to continue with blended learning.

‘There is no point encouraging students to come to university to self-isolate for a fortnight. This was a wholly predictable and unnecessary crisis.It is unfair on students, on staff and on their local communities.’

The move follows growing concerns about how universities are going to operate safely against the backdrop of high and rising Covid infection rates.

It is understood the student outbreaks have helped to fuel the Manchester’s
infection rate as a whole over the past couple of days.

On Tuesday the city recorded 161 new cases, with numbers now doubling
week on week.

In Scotland, more than 170 students are already self isolating in Glasgow’s Murano Street halls alone, along with hundreds of others across the city.

A huge row has also erupted in recent days after students across Scotland were told not to visit the pub this weekend – or to go home and visit their parents, apart from under exceptional circumstances.

There have also been outbreaks at other English universities, including Liverpool, where at least 87 students have tested positive.

In Manchester, the council’s public health department has been particularly worried about the return of nearly 80,000 students in recent weeks at a time when the city’s Covid-19 infection rate is already high and now rising fast, numbers driven predominantly by those aged 20 to 40.

An extra testing station has been provided at Manchester University’s main campus, while police and council officials have been undertaking engagement in Fallowfield for several weeks.

Across Greater Manchester, all five universities – MMU, Manchester University, Salford University, Bolton University and the Royal Northern College of Music – issued a joint statement earlier this month outlining how they would deal with the new term against the backdrop of Covid, including online lectures, free masks and staggered arrivals at halls.

However, even with those measures, officials have still seen a spike in cases among students as an inevitability at a time when the city’s rates at a whole are nearing 200 per 100,000.

Consultant in health protection at Public Health England North West Dr Yasmin Ahmed-Little said: ‘We are working closely with Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester city council and partners to provide public health advice aimed at helping stop the spread of the virus.

‘We have seen an increase in positive cases and students with symptoms in the University and all students in these accommodation blocks are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days, even if they have no symptoms, to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

‘It is really important for all students follow the advice from the university and the City Council to stay safe.

‘Young people play a crucial role in preventing the spread of coronavirus to protect those at much greater risk.

‘If you are one of the students that has been asked to self-isolate please follow the advice and stay in your accommodation to help us.’

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