Student mass Covid testing begins across Yorkshire universities for Christmas exodus

Universities across the region have opened temporary testing centres where hundreds of thousands of students will be checked for Covid this week before they leave.

At the University of Hull, an asymptomatic testing site opened yesterday, (30 November) at the institute’s Allam Sport Centre.

The tests are lateral flow tests, which means that results can be rapidly turned around within an hour.

A spokeswoman from the University of Hull, confirmed to The Yorkshire Post, that the maximum number of 860 tests for yesterday were fully booked and students had been very supportive during the first day of testing.

"Students have reacted really, really well to it. None of this testing is compulsory, it's entirely voluntary but our students seemed to react really positively to it and they really appreciated being given the opportunity to take the test on campus so they can go home with that reassurance," the spokesperson added.

The university is using its sports centre as a temporary testing site until 9 December with the aim of reaching the target of 8600 tests by that date.

Testing at Hull will also take place on 13 December for students on NHS placement.

And as with other universities, booking slots for tests will also be a way of staggering the times when students can leave, within the "travel window" that ends on 9 December.

Students have been asked to take two tests, three days apart. If they test negative, many students will leave university in the “travel window” starting from 3 December.

Professor Susan Lea, Vice-Chancellor from the University of Hull, said the aim was to give students the "confidence" that they can return home safely for the holidays.

"It will help them to make decisions about travel prior to the winter break and provide them with assurance regarding the risk of COVID transmission when they return home or spend the holiday away from campus," Professor Lea said.

She added: "From the outset of COVID-19 in March, the safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and the wider community have been our top priority. We have worked hard to make sure all the necessary COVID-safe measures are in place to keep our community as safe as possible."

Meanwhile in West Yorkshire Inshaal Ahmad, a students’ union sabbatical officer at the University of Bradford, said most students seemed supportive of the testing, which opened at the Unique Fitness Centre Sports Hall, yesterday and will continue until 6 December.

He said many students at Bradford live in multi-generational households, including older relatives, and want to "be on the safe side" and not risk bringing the virus back from university.

Professor Shirley Congdon, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bradford, added: "I urge all students without symptoms who are intending to travel to take the test.

"This will indicate if it is safe to travel for the Christmas holiday period. Taking the test will offer extra assurance to you, your families, friends and community. Testing is quick and easy to book, the results are confidential."

Mass testing using lateral flow tests

The mass testing is intended to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus as students travel away from their term-time addresses.

Sports halls and rooms on campus have been converted into testing centres, where students will take "lateral flow" swab tests, which will provide results within an hour, with the outcome sent by email or text.

Two tests are recommended to increase accuracy - and students will be expected to travel soon after a second negative result, with students in England and Wales encouraged to leave within 24 hours.

If students get a positive result, they will have to take another test to confirm - and if they have coronavirus they will have to stay and self-isolate.

Most universities are providing testing - 130 "expressed an interest" in taking part in the scheme, according to the Department for Health and Social Care.

But the National Union of Students says there should be capacity for all students who want a test to get one before Christmas.

"We are not aware of how universities will decide which students are tested if testing is oversubscribed," says the NUS.

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