Universities and their role in pandemic – Yorkshire Post Letters

From: John Rayner, North Ferriby.
Covid-19 outbreaks have been reported in universities around the country, including Manchester Metropolitan.Covid-19 outbreaks have been reported in universities around the country, including Manchester Metropolitan.
Covid-19 outbreaks have been reported in universities around the country, including Manchester Metropolitan.

IN March, it was suggested that the delayed start to lockdown may in part have been due to scientific advice relating to ‘herd immunity’, that in the absence of a vaccine treatment, building up a widespread tolerance to Covid-19 across the general population would reduce the risk to those groups for whom infection would be a serious danger.

However, the rapid escalation in infections and hospital admissions among exactly that vulnerable section of society put paid to that idea. Was herd immunity unachievable anyway? How would you ensure a sufficient spread of the virus amongst the less vulnerable population, in order to achieve the necessary coverage?

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Perhaps initially one could persuade a significant proportion of a generally non-vulnerable age-group to congregate willingly from across the country into a number of isolatable environments, where the virus could be expected to spread amongst them.

There's growing concern about Covid-19 outbreaks in university halls of residence.There's growing concern about Covid-19 outbreaks in university halls of residence.
There's growing concern about Covid-19 outbreaks in university halls of residence.

After a few weeks when they have developed antibodies naturally, they could return to their homes where their families, a further known and controlled population group, would then be able to develop their immunity in turn. At each stage, appropriate monitoring and necessary treatment could be available for any participant who developed serious symptoms during this ‘experiment’.

What better place for such an experiment than our universities?

From: Barry Foster, High Stakesby, Whitby.

OVER the years, we have ploughed billions of pounds into education.

There are fresh concerns about panic buying in Yorkshire supermarkets.There are fresh concerns about panic buying in Yorkshire supermarkets.
There are fresh concerns about panic buying in Yorkshire supermarkets.
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The universities are surely getting their fair share and what is it all producing? People unable to understand the common rule of law, which is being demonstrated by the behaviour by lots of them on TV over the past days. This indicates a dreadful waste of money and resources.

I simply cannot understand them. We are in a pandemic where we should all be careful and looking after each other.

Our politicians are being advised by some very clever people and we should be accepting their advice without question and accepting the rule of law.

I live in the beautiful town of Whitby and love to see visitors, but only those who behave in a proper manner.

From: Alan Carnall, Barnsley.

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ONCE again the potential threat of a total lockdown has resulted in panic buying by the selfish/hoarders (Jayne Dowle, The Yorkshire Post, September 28).

Why do they do it? What is the point? Last time there were enough supplies to deal with the situation. Why do people have such short memories?

Panic buyers create the problem – full stop. If everyone just buys their normal weekly shop, there will not be a problem. Regrettably I fear such situations bring out the worst in people, but I live in hope.

From: Brian Sheridan, Lodge Moor, Sheffield.

PHYLLIS Capstick, who resents being told to wear a mask (The Yorkshire Post, September 28), misses the point in arguing that “we should be allowed to make the most of (life), whatever it means to the individual”.

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Surely that does not mean we have the right knowingly to put other people’s health at risk?

There is evidence that masks at least might help to protect others. I am happy to put up with this minor inconvenience.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

A MORE effective way of stopping excessive numbers of people meeting would be to allow the police to give one warning to disperse over a tannoy and then anyone remaining would be given a criminal record.

The threat of fines is having no effect and they are unlikely to be paid.

From: Peter Rickaby, Selby.

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“YOUNG adults” leaving home for the first time with money in their pockets, free from parental control, living among their contemporaries, acting like university students have done for centuries, is nothing new. What is hypocritical is those now in authority conveniently forgetting they themselves were once “freshers” at university, doing exactly what they now criticise.

From: Robert A Binns, Oakworth. Keighley.

AS a conscientious citizen, I downloaded the new NHS app, hoping in a small way to help in the fight against this terrible disease. It turns out that this “world beating” piece of technology, introduced over 160 days late, will not accept positive test information so is, at present, useless. The First World War analogy of lions led by donkeys comes to mind.

From: Christine McDade, Morton on Swale.

WHAT about the closing of pubs and restaurants at 10pm? Has Boris Johnson seen the chaos in cities such as York, Liverpool and London as all the youths hang around in the streets unwilling to go home at such an early hour?

Please let us have some sensible plans instead of all these knee-jerk reactions.

From: Jarvis Browning, Fadmoor, York.

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IT’S all very well for Gordon Brown telling the Government to protect and save jobs for the younger generation. It was no better when he was in power with almost two million unemployed.

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James Mitchinson

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