The Welsh Government has announced that a 17-day Wales lockdown will be enforced from today (Friday 23 October) at 6pm until November 9.
Travel in and out of the country will be prohibited, all non-essential shops will close and people are encouraged to stay at home.
Welsh students studying in England will not be permitted to travel home during this period.
Owen Rees, 20, is from Conwy Bay and studies Sports Rehabilitation in Salford. He worries about the implications the lockdown will have upon his university work:
“It’s not nice knowing you’re not allowed to go home to family if you want to and get that support if you need to.
“It’s unsettling really, especially when you are trying to get on with your university work and you’re trying to deal with the stress of this on top.”
There is an air of uncertainty amongst Welsh students and concerns about being able to go home for Christmas.
@WelshGovernment
Can I still travel to university as I am studying in England, UWE Bristol? Can you make advice on this clearer please as I am a Welsh student living in Wales but studying in England.
Thank you.— Elin Harding (@Elin_Harding) October 19, 2020
Abi Hughes, 19, is from Wrexham and is studying Television and Radio in Salford:
“It affected me because I can’t go home and there’s an uncertainty about the next time I can go home, or if I can even go home for Christmas. The uncertainty is the saddest and scariest part.”
The government guidelines for university students goes as follows:
“We are asking all students living in Wales, and all our Welsh students living outside Wales, to help us keep Wales safe by not travelling between university and home.
You should only move between your term time address and your home address if absolutely necessary, for example for work, to provide or receive care or because of concerns about your wellbeing. You should not return home for a ‘visit’ during this period. You should not travel home if you have been asked to self-isolate or have Covid-19 symptoms.”
The University of Salford have stated that the lockdown will have a “very limited impact” on students at the university:
“In relation to travel at Christmas all students will need to follow the government guidelines that are relevant at the time, which will obviously include adherence to guidance around self-isolation.”
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