New campaign urges college students to ‘keep it small, keep it safe and keep your distance’

A new campaign by the USI is urging students in Ireland to socialise safely and responsibly as they return to university environments

A new campaign by the Union of Students in Ireland is looking to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in third level environments.

‘Keep it Small, Keep it Safe, Keep your Distance’ is the key message being put across, and it is one endorsed by Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn.

In a statement, Dr Glynn said: “For younger people in particular, this pandemic has impacted on your education, your relationships and your social lives…You have all been committed throughout the pandemic to following public health advice – and for that I thank you. But the disease is continuing to spread disproportionately among younger people, and so, I am asking you to stick with this and continue to follow the public health advice.”

“Be a role model for others. Limit the number of people you meet, try and meet the same small group of people all the time, maintain two-metre physical distance, wear a face covering, wash your hands well and often.”

The campaign will be run on social media channels and comes after concerns over students’ return to college environments following outbreaks in universities in Scotland and Switzerland.

While the campaign wants students to limit their social contacts, it also encourages them to socialise but safely and responsibly.

USI president Lorna Fitzpatrick said: “We all have a part to play in limiting the spread of the virus, but we are also concerned about the impact of loneliness or seclusion on students”

“So, depending on where we are in the country and the restrictions in place at the time, we can meet friends and family providing it’s done in a safe way. This will help support our mental health while reducing the risk of spreading the virus.”

Yesterday, 430 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Ireland – the highest number reported in a day since April.

This brings the total number of cases in the country to 34,990.

Read more: South William Street footage sparks conversation over Covid restrictions in the city

Read more: Irish colleges investigated only 15 out of 31 reported sexual assault and harassment cases in 2018/19

Read more: Why your college years might not be the best years of your life, and that’s ok