As summer officially kicks off, many people are anxiously waiting for life to return to some kind of normalcy.
But the recent spike in coronavirus cases in County Durham has raised concern among residents, with some believing the increase may be due to the student body that has yet to be fully vaccinated.
Last week, Amanda Healy, director of public health for Durham, said the increase in cases was due to people aged 19 to 24 and urged young people to keep getting vaccinated.
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County Durham had an infection rate of 428.6 per 100,000 for the seven days through June 27 with 2,272 cases, which is an increase of 1,114 from the previous seven days.
Some residents of downtown Durham said they saw some students not following the rules.
George Bowe, 71, said: “I think after the first lockdown it’s the students.
“I’ve seen some students pay no attention to the restrictions.
“I understand because at 18 I would like to go out and see people myself.
“They just have to think about protecting the others, it was difficult for everyone.
“Schools are also closing and people have to self-isolate after coming into close contact with someone with Covid.”
Another resident, Peter Porter, 71, said students sometimes thought they were “invincible” but said he believed the majority would get vaccinated.
He said: “The problem is, the students think they are invincible and that they are probably compared to George and myself.
“If they carried it with them, it’s something their body could handle a lot better than ours. We’re more vulnerable if we get it.
“I don’t think young people are hesitant to get the jab, I think most of them will get it.
“It’s about protecting others, we have a duty to everyone to get vaccinated, we have a duty of care.
“The sooner everyone is vaccinated, the better.
One man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Some students don’t follow the rules. You see them in big groups without any worries in the world.
“It looks like a lot of them are staying in town even though they are all done, which is not ideal.
“It looks like the cases are getting worse in this area. This is really concerning because even though I have been doubly vaccinated there is still a chance I can get it.”
However, a group of college students said they all had their first jabs and followed the rules.
Durham University student Charlie Wilde said: “It’s really bad here right now, you see people catching it and isolating themselves.
“The university keeps promising balls and events, but they keep getting canceled. We’re all tested twice a week, so they’re very strict.
“It’s hard because you can follow the rules and still get it. I don’t think it’s all up to the students, anyone is in danger if they don’t play by the rules.”
Lauren Woodward added: “We all got our first vaccine, I think the majority of the students will. We would have had it sooner if we could have.”
When asked if the students were breaking the rules, one student, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I think that was certainly the case at the start of the year, but now people are doing very watch out for the coronavirus.
“I think the students play by the rules, but as the restrictions loosen there will be a spike and I think it’s easier for people to blame the students.
“I understand, but we’re being tested all the time and a lot of events have been called off.
“Everyone I have spoken to has received the vaccine or is going to get it. I think young people are more open to getting the vaccine.”
Durham University has been performing 2,500 lateral flow tests per day since early June and has been working closely with Durham County Council and Public Health England to manage cases of Covid-19 in the community.
Jeremy Cook, pro-vice chancellor (colleges and student experience) at Durham University, said they were having an ongoing dialogue with the local community to understand the concerns and take reasonable steps to mitigate the consequences.
He said: “The health, safety and well-being of our students, staff and the community at large is always our first priority.
“We continue our ongoing dialogue with our local community, including through our dedicated community forum, to understand the concerns and take reasonable and proportionate steps to mitigate the consequences.
“As per the government’s roadmap, during the Easter term, we delivered a carefully planned set of broader student experiences, in person and online …
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Source: www.chroniclelive.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-07-03 17:00:00
