A decision on whether students will need to be fully immunized to attend college classes and live in halls will only be made at the beginning of the terms of the same month on many campuses.
Foreign Minister Dominic Raab defended his government’s decision not to make an announcement on university vaccination requirements until September, the same month, the same month, many students leave their homes for the first time for their university.
Some of those who will sign up in September are only 17 years old now and have yet to receive the vaccine, while the government says all adults will not be offered their two vaccines until mid-September. Younger adults – who are most likely to attend college – are at the bottom of the line.
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Asked about BBC Radio 4’s Today program on whether vaccination will be advised or compulsory for students returning to university residences in September, Mr Raab said: “When we get to the crisis these decisions will be made in September . “
As vaccines take two to three weeks to become effective, this means that many 18-year-olds may still not be protected by the time they enter college.
The terms of the University of Northumbria and the University of Newcastle begin on Monday, September 20, with Freshers Week – when many students will arrive at their accommodation – starting a week before.
Responding to a suggestion that the timing would be ‘a bit late’ for students, he said: ‘We have, throughout this pandemic, had to make advice and decisions based on the evidence as we see it. .
“We will certainly make sure that university students are warned in advance, of course we will take that into account.”
He said he had to be reassured that “we are not backing down from what has been a very intrusive lockdown”.
He added, “The only steps we will take in this regard are those that will maximize the freedom that the vast majority of the country wants and wants to enjoy. “
Labor had previously called on the government to set up vaccination centers on college campuses to ensure students are fully vaccinated before winter.
The party urges ministers to do more to promote the vaccine to young people, including working with universities to set up vaccination centers on campus to facilitate access.
Last week, the Union of Universities and Colleges (UCU) called on the government to work with local and regional education and health service providers to offer full vaccinations to students by September.
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