Interesting reading about the lockdown of students in Manchester. Some thoughts:

1. If this were a normal residential tower block then it seems inconceivable that all the households would be forced into isolation by their landlord and the local authority.

2. I can’t imagine private security can legally be used to enforce isolation - this would be for the police to do surely ?

3. I’m not a lawyer but if they are relying on this legislation then I don’t see how it applies and in any case if I were a student affected I would be appealing to a magistrate and the Secretary of State https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-powers-to-impose-restrictions-under-coronavirus-regulations/local-authority-powers-to-impose-restrictions-health-protection-coronavirus-restrictions-england-no3-regulations-2020

4. If I were one of the students who had tested positive and had subsequently served their isolation period (and was confident I could demonstrate that) I’d be sorely tempted to leave the building and embark on discovering what the consequences would be.

5. There are also suggestions that students in general shouldn’t be allowed to return home for Christmas.

Frankly unless there is a return of national Lockdown meaning this applies to all then this would, in my view, be draconian in the extreme.