Exeter now seventh in England covid league

Most of cases are students

The ‘soft lockdown’ at University of Exeter preventing students meeting other households indoors is being extended for a further week.

Students had initially been told on Monday 28 September not to socialise with other households for a two weeks as a result of an increasing number of students testing positive for covid-19.

Most of the 576 cases recorded in Exeter in the seven days to Tuesday 6 October are attributable to the university. The number is up from 105 the previous week, moving  the city up a place in the infection rate table. It is now the seventh highest place for covid-19 based on population size.

Students now can't mix, except for educational sessions on campus, working or volunteering, organised sports and in the case of emergency when someone is vulnerable or in danger.

In a statement, Mike Shore-Nye, registrar and secretary, said: “Public Health England has advised us that if we are able to retain our current levels of vigilance then we may begin to see the rate of cases gradually reduce. They have also advised us that relaxation of our current measures too early could potentially have the opposite effect, encouraging increased transmission once again, before case numbers have reduced.

“These cases are almost all within student households and residences. There remains no evidence of transmission to the wider community, nor of transmission within our covid-secure teaching spaces. We have seen no increase in the small number of staff cases.

“I know that this will come as a disappointment, but PHE tells us that this specific measure is having a significant impact on the transmission of the disease, both between students and from students to the wider community. Continuing to bear down on the transmission of covid-19 is the only way we can keep our community safe and avoid further restrictions. We will review this measure next week.”

He added that the university and PHE have been hugely impressed by the way that students have complied with the guidelines.

Mr Shore-Nye said that the delays in getting results from the mobile testing unit back to students who had begun self-isolating has now been resolved, and that over recent days, they  have seen the balance in positive cases in Exeter shift from student houses in the city towards halls of residence.

He said: “We have introduced a number of new measures in University residences including the re-enforcement of the need to wear face-coverings in corridors and communal areas, issuing additional wipes and hand sanitizer bottles and making changes to cleaning schedules to ensure we are targeting high touch-point areas more frequently.

“We all need to be mindful and considerate, on and off campus, ensuring that we maintain social distancing and good hygiene practices with members of the community. Devon & Cornwall Police have informed us that they will be increasing their patrols in Exeter with the aim of supporting the rule of xix amongst the community."