Contacts and behaviours of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of the 2020/2021 academic year

Nixon, Emily; Trickey, Adam; Christensen, Hannah; Finn, Adam; Thomas, Amy; Relton, Caroline L; Montgomery, Clara; Hemani, Gibran; Metz, Jane; Walker, Josephine G.; Turner, Katherine Mary Elizabeth; Kwiatkowska, Rachel; Sauchelli, Sarah; Danon, León; Brooks-Pollock, Ellen

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-91156-9

Cited by 24 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In addition, a survey of University of Bristol students found that 99% of students self-isolated after testing positive for COVID-19 and the majority of survey participants reported low contact numbers [38]. However, there was heterogeneity in adherence, with some students reporting many contacts and with only 61% of students with cardinal COVID-19 symptoms self-isolating [38]. In future, it will be important that students maintain their high levels of adherence and to ensure they have sufficient resources to allow them to do so.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 infection in UK university students: lessons from September–December 2020 and modelling insights for future student return

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this paper, we present work on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in UK higher education settings using multiple approaches to assess the extent of university outbreaks, how much those outbreaks may have led to spillover in the community, and the expected effects of control measures. Firstly, we found that the distribution of outbreaks in universities in late 2020 was consistent with the expected importation of infection from arriving students. Considering outbreaks at one university, larger halls of residence posed higher risks for transmission. The dynamics of transmission from university outbreaks to wider communities is complex, and while sometimes spillover does occur, occasionally even large outbreaks do not give any detectable signal of spillover to the local population. Secondly, we explored proposed control measures for reopening and keeping open universities. We found the proposal of staggering the return of students to university residence is of limited value in terms of reducing transmission. We show that student adherence to testing and self-isolation is likely to be much more important for reducing transmission during term time. Finally, we explored strategies for testing students in the context of a more transmissible variant and found that frequent testing would be necessary to prevent a major outbreak.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 infection in UK university students: lessons from September–December 2020 and modelling insights for future student return

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As 92% of the student population is under 30 years of age, we expect a high proportion of cases to be asymptomatic 19,20 ðf ¼ 0:75Þ. In a survey of university students, a large range of symptoms were reported in participants who tested positive for COVID-19, suggesting that young adults may have symptoms, but not typical ones 21 . We also expect a low hospitalisation rate 22 (h ¼ 0:002) and a low mortality rate of hospitalised cases (μ ¼ 0:038) 22 and have therefore not modelled hospitalisation and death here.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High COVID-19 transmission potential associated with re-opening universities can be mitigated with layered interventions

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Controlling COVID-19 transmission in universities poses challenges due to the complex social networks and potential for asymptomatic spread. We developed a stochastic transmission model based on realistic mixing patterns and evaluated alternative mitigation strategies. We predict, for plausible model parameters, that if asymptomatic cases are half as infectious as symptomatic cases, then 15% (98% Prediction Interval: 6–35%) of students could be infected during the first term without additional control measures. First year students are the main drivers of transmission with the highest infection rates, largely due to communal residences. In isolation, reducing face-to-face teaching is the most effective intervention considered, however layering multiple interventions could reduce infection rates by 75%. Fortnightly or more frequent mass testing is required to impact transmission and was not the most effective option considered. Our findings suggest that additional outbreak control measures should be considered for university settings.

show abstract

“…Thus, after such an unclear beginning, other elements were configuring improved versions for the courses depending on the area, emphasis, contents, and semesters where they were allocated. In addition, evaluation was a permanent concern, as well to avoid frauds as to be a purposeful instrument extending the learning during such activity, despite the compromised learning due to the continuous and permanent online sessions, particularly in areas requiring experimentation and practice [65].…”

Section: Didactic Designs Dimensions Improved: Superseding the Traditional Teacher' Knowledge And Perceptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons in the Use of Technology for Science Education during COVID-19 Age under a Teachers’ Collaboration Cluster

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The COVID-19 confinement has represented both opportunities and losses for education. Rarely before has any other period moved the human spirit into such discipline or submission—depending on one’s personal and emotional points of view. Both extremes have been widely influenced by external factors on each individual’s life path. Education in the sciences and engineering has encountered more issues than other disciplines due to specialized mathematical handwriting, experimental demonstrations, abstract complexity, and lab practices. This work analyses three aspects of science education courses taught by university professors in a collaborative teacher cluster, sharing technology applications and education methodologies in science over three semesters when the COVID-19 lockdown was in effect. The first aspect was a didactic design coming from several educational frameworks through adoption or sharing. The second one was an analysis by discipline of multiple factors affecting student engagement during the health contingency. The third analysis examined the gains and losses in our students caused by the university closure and the pandemic’s intrusions. The report explores the correlations of the exiting student perceptions with their academic performance in the courses and survey results about the impact of decisions or happenings during the crisis. This work’s value lies in the lessons for the future of education concerning the teacher dominions of didactic design, support, and collaboration in a broader sense than only for teaching.

show abstract

Contacts and behaviours of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of the 2020/2021 academic year

Cited by 24 publications

References 15 publications

SARS-CoV-2 infection in UK university students: lessons from September–December 2020 and modelling insights for future student return

SARS-CoV-2 infection in UK university students: lessons from September–December 2020 and modelling insights for future student return

High COVID-19 transmission potential associated with re-opening universities can be mitigated with layered interventions

Lessons in the Use of Technology for Science Education during COVID-19 Age under a Teachers’ Collaboration Cluster

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About