The Government should tell students to remain on campus during the Christmas break, experts have warned.
Top scientists from The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said universities are more likely to be hit with larger outbreaks of Covid-19 towards the end of the academic term, inews reports.
These outbreaks, which would coincide with Christmas and New year experts fear, "could pose a risk to both local communities and families, and will require national oversight, monitoring and decision making."
The warnings were included in the latest minutes to be published from meetings of SAGE.
To prevent the spread of coronavirus, Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Unit and former government special adviser to the universities minister, said the Government will be forced to tell students to stay on campus instead of coming home at Christmas.
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Mr Hillman said: “Ministers will have to tell students that it’s best you stay away from home this year. It is no different from any other situation. If you are following the science then what else can the Government say?”
"The worry will be if they do go home that they will bring the virus back to their parents and families. It is just another on the long list of sacrifices people will have to make to battle this disease.”
The University of Liverpool confirmed that there were 87 positive coronavirus cases among staff and students last week.
The worrying numbers come before term has started, with large numbers of students still yet to return.
This has prompted fears that a bigger surge in cases is yet to come as more students return to the city in the coming days and weeks.
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Liverpool Hope University and Liverpool John Moores University have moved most of their teaching online over coronavirus concerns.
Liverpool Hope University, which had planned to offer a mix of virtual and face-to-face learning for all students, has moved all teaching online for induction week following concerns from residents about an influx of students.
The decision came as local University and College Union (UCU) branches demanded a guarantee that vulnerable staff would not be forced to come on to university campuses across the city.
Martyn Moss, UCU regional official, had called on universities in Liverpool to "halt unnecessary in-person teaching" to ensure the safety of staff, students and the local community was prioritised.
A Department for Education spokeswoman said: “We will continue monitoring the situation very closely and follow Public Health England advice, adapting policies to best support students and providers as the situation evolves.”
