Student 6-day travel window
We know that students will be allowed home this year for Christmas, but there is a strict Student 6-day travel window. Students will be allowed to travel between December 3rd and 9th under a ‘travel window’ to manage pressure on transport over Christmas. The plans are designed to help deal with the challenge of the high volume of students at the end of term. Jo Grady, the general secretary of the University and College Union, said: ‘Allowing just a week for around 1 million students to travel across the country leaves little room for error’.
How the government is responding
The coronavirus guidance issued by the Department for Education included plans to end in-person teaching and a switch to online learning. One of the main reasons for the Student 6-day travel window was so the NHS could prepare to start delivering the first covid19 vaccines from December. However, we are still uncertain if this will be going ahead, and at what point students will be offered the vaccine. Experts hope that the first phase of vaccination of priority groups could prevent most deaths from Covid-19. Asked whether a vaccine could be available by Christmas, Mr Hancock said that was ‘absolutely a possibility’. The UK Government has ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, enough for about a third of the UK population. However, it seems much of the UK are undecided about whether to accept something that we know so little about.
What does 2021 look like for students?
There is no doubt this year has been a rollercoaster most of us would rather get off, but how is 2021 looking? Depending on whether we get a vaccine, Christmas and the new year could be in jeopardy. Additionally, some students feel if they return after Christmas they will once again be blamed for another wave of covid19.
Are you a student looking for a student property? Take a look at our current properties!