‘We must trust students to behave responsibly’

There have also been reassurances that extra flights scheduled from regional airports in the first week of December will operate as planned and that Guernsey has no plans to change tack on its pandemic response.

Chief minister Peter Ferbrache said: ‘The escalating situation in neighbouring jurisdictions, and the UK’s decision to introduce a nationwide lockdown this week is bound to cause concern for some

locally, but we want to be really clear that it does not change Guernsey’s response.

‘The decisions made for this Bailiwick are based on our own situation, our own risks and our own measures for testing and tracing and most of all, preventing the spread of the virus locally. Our circumstances have not changed at this stage. If at any point they do, we will of course assess rapidly what new measures if any are needed, but we are not in that place right now.’

Universities will remain open from Thursday with more learning online and a direction that students should not return home before the end of term.

Returning students must self-isolate for 14 days. About 400 indicated in a recent survey they want to come home for Christmas.

‘We realise that the UK’s announcement about the upcoming national lockdown may have caused further concern for our off-island students and their families,’ said Deputy Dudley-Owen.

‘We are also aware that there are those within the community who are worried about a large number of students returning within a short window of time.

‘They are part of our community and I welcome them back after what will have been an extraordinary term away from Guernsey, which may have been quite a challenge for many given the restrictions they have been placed under.

‘It’s important to recognise that these students are young adults and as such we should trust them to behave in a responsible way.

‘We have seen a small number of people, of varying ages, prosecuted for self-isolation breaches.’