UK government won’t rule out barring unvaccinated students returning to university

As students prepare to return to universities throughout the UK this Autumn, the government has announced that they have refused to rule out instating a ban on unvaccinated students returning to campus.

Boris Johnson is allegedly “raging” over low rates of vaccination amongst young people and its determined to encourage more to get the jab.

According to The Times, the prime minister pitched mandatory vaccination for higher education students during virtual meetings held at Chequers last week.

When asked whether or not the government would ban unvaccinated students from returning to campus, education minister Vicky Ford revealed that a ban had not been ruled out, and suggested that ministers had to “consider everything”.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the minister for children said: “I think it’s important that everyone looks at every practical situation that we have there to try to keep people safe.”

She added: “If you want to get that freedom, not worrying about self-isolation, get on with university life …. do make sure you’ve had that vaccination.”

Boris Johnson allegedly suggested that students ought to be fully vaccinated before returning to campuses during Zoom meetings with colleagues last week.

The Department of Education, however, is concerned about both the legality and practicality of the hypothetical ban on unvaccinated students.

For a start, the proposal would be vehemently opposed by Conservative benchbackers. A group of nearly 40 Tory MPs have already vowed to vote down the government’s plans to require full vaccination in order to enter nightclubs and other busy venues.

Chairman of the Education Select Committee, Tory MP Robert Halfon has called the proposed ban “wrong-headed,” adding:“It’s like something out of Huxley’s Brave New World where people with vaccine passports will be engineered into social hierarchies.

“Where does this stop? Do we fire apprentices who have not had the vaccine? Do we remove older students from [further education] colleges? Do we close down adult education courses where adults have not had the vaccine? I hope not.”

The party’s spokesperson for health, Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson has described the plan as “completely unacceptable” – saying it is unfair to “punish” unvaccinated students.

“While it is crucial every adult who can get vaccinated does get the jab, attempting to withhold face-to-face education from students until they do is crossing a line,” said Ms Wilson.

“Government attempts to strong-arm them into getting vaccinated will simply push them away … This will not wash, and we cannot stand by while ministers try to punish young people for a pandemic Boris Johnson has utterly mishandled.”

When asked if there was a rising concern about young people taking the vaccine, a No 10 spokesperson said:“I think you continue to see more and more young people coming forward to receive the vaccine, both in terms of first doses and now second doses.

“Of course, we want to see more people come forward to receive it.

“We would like to see everybody who is invited to come forward and receive the vaccination to do so. That’s the message we continue to try and give to young people.”

A government spokesperson added: “Universities and further education colleges are encouraged to promote the offer of both doses of the vaccine and should continue to conduct risk assessments for their particular circumstances – as well as implementing sensible and proportionate control measures.

“If we consider that further measures are needed for these settings, we will set these out in the usual way.”