What Leeds Council said about Christmas plans and student area coronavirus outbreaks as Leeds placed in lockdown

In a media briefing held this morning, Leeds Council announced they expect Leeds to go into lockdown as of midnight.

The council suggested restrictions could last throughout throughout the winter when questioned about potential implications for Christmas.

A testing centre set up at Leeds University is open to all students and all residents says Victoria Eaton, director of public health.

She said Leeds had 'very strong arrangements in place' to deal with the pandemic.

Ms Eaton said: “As well as the work within campuses we have been working really closely in the areas where students live and socialise.

"The challenges are around household and social cases but we’ve been working with universities, police colleagues, community groups and student members around that.

"It remains a real challenge around higher education.

"On the ground in Leeds we have very strong arrangements in place.”

It doesn’t appear that students are being sent home at this time.

CEO Tom Riordan said students should 'bring a sense of responsibility' to the city as Leeds 'warmly welcomes' those who will study from across the country and beyond.

He said: "I guess we need everybody to do what we’re asking and I have an 18-year-old in my house and I know the challenges of being a student and wanting to make friends and people wanting to enjoy the start of university life.

"We warmly welcome the students to the city, but we also ask that those students bring a sense of responsibility to the city as well.

"It may be that they aren’t at as great a risk of older people if it spreads, but the way universities have organised themselves, they’ve got zoned areas, deep cleans, bubbles and cohorts of students doing online learning where it makes sense.

"We need them to keep that in place and form social bubbles which restrict the movement of the virus between them.

“Using the app as well is a big thing we need students to do.

"We need the students to be good citizens of Leeds as well as really enjoying their university careers and we do have sympathy for them while still asking them to do the things we need them to do.”

Tom Riordan said the rule of 6 and curfew remain the same for Leeds.

He added: "The additional factor is about no household mixing within your own home or garden.

"That’s the law.

"Outside, in pubs and restaurants, it’s the strong advice.

"There’s fines if you don’t do what the restriction says within your own home.

"But the guidance is that you shouldn’t mix with others in pubs and restaurants.

"If you have a social bubble, if you have childcare, if you have children in two separate households, if you’re having work done on your home, etc, there are exceptions.

“But the message is: you shouldn’t really mix with other households. The clarity of the bottom line is what we are trying to get to.”

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Thank you

Laura Collins