Compulsory Covid jabs plan for university students rejected by ministers
The Government has rejected the idea of making Covid vaccines compulsory for university students, a minister has said.
Children's Minister Vicky Ford MP said there were no plans for students in England to require proof of vaccination to attend lectures or stay in halls of residence.
She said ministers had "looked at every possible way" to make the return to university as safe as possible, but that it would be wrong to allow only double vaccinated students into lecture theatres.
Universities including Wolverhampton and Staffordshire are preparing for the return of students in the coming weeks after the majority of lessons took place online during the pandemic.
Reports haver suggested the government had shelved the idea of compulsory jabs for students due to rising concerns over the use of vaccine passports.
Speaking during a visit to the Black Country, Chelmsford MP Mrs Ford said: "It's important that students know that they have the option of a vaccination and I would really strongly encourage them to take it.
"I have two student sons myself, and one of them has had both of his jabs and the other one is about to have his second jab.
"That will give them the confidence that they are better protected from Covid when they get back to university.
"As we saw in the last autumn term when a lot of people got together at university there were issues at quite a lot of halls of residence with students having to self-isolate and missing out on their education.
"If they have the vaccination, as with any other adult if they do get track and traced, then they don't need to self-isolate providing their PCR test is negative.
"That will the absolute best way for them to make sure they can experience a normal university life.
"We have obviously looked at every possible way to make students as safe as possible, but we are not going to say 'you can't go to a lecture unless you're double vaccinated'."
From the end of September people will need proof of vaccination to attend nightclubs and some other venues in England.
