Select a region
The Director of Public Health has encouraged islanders to welcome back off-island students when they return next month, following concerns that they would not adhere to isolation requirements.
Following a student survey, Aurigny has put on a series of flights from key UK areas to ensure that students can make it back to the island with enough time to isolate before Christmas.
During last week's media briefing, States' CEO Paul Whitfield explained some of the work that has been done to ensure that the returning students will know what is required of them.
"A huge amount of work has gone into ensuring there was sufficient and appropriate capacity so that this section of our community are supported if they wish to come home for Christmas," he said.
"We have maintained regular direct contact with students, and we continue to provide them with information and support, so they are fully aware of the latest advice before they travel." In addition to this, students will shortly be receiving an information pack about their self-isolation requirements, and what they will need to do before they return.
A new page of the States' covid-19 website has also been released for students and their parents, containing all of this information. Mr Whitfield also made it clear that students would be met with the same expectations as everyone else.
"Our returning students are no different to anyone else travelling into the island that require an immediate 14-day self isolation," he said.
"Maintaining the requirements of self isolation are not only important for those individuals, but doing so correctly helps safeguard the protection against covid for our community."
Dr Nicola Brink said that the public should not be worried about whether or not the returning students will adhere to the requirements.
"My experience of students that have returned is that they are adhering to everything we're asking them to do," she said. "I actually have a lot of them phoning me to check that they're doing the right thing.
"There's a degree of anxiety to make sure they're doing the right thing. I want us to say 'let's welcome our students home, it's great to have them home for Christmas, please all stick to the rules,' but I think it's important that we have a positive approach to our students coming back."
Pictured top: Director of Public Health, Dr Nicola Brink
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.