COVID testing - university students

I'm a university student and recently a person in my flat had a high fever. Therefore I tried to book a test for him. There are three ways to get a test:
1) Drive-thru testing centre: not applicable, university students usually don't have access to a car (especially if they come from abroad)
2) Walk-thru testing centre: my friend was very sick and our university accommodation is more than 2.5 miles away from the centre.
3) Mail delivery: The website says "We could not confirm the identity of the person needing the test". Probably it doesn't work with term-time addresses.
We also tried calling the customer contact centre, but the test didn't arrive.
I think the universities should help their students getting access to tests, for example providing a list of students living in university accommodations to the government so that our identity can be confirmed or arranging a vehicle to transport potentially infected students to the test centre.

Why the contribution is important

The reopening of universities has so far resulted in reports of coronavirus cases at more than 60 institutions. At the University of Edinburgh there are already 268 infected students.

by massimop on October 05, 2020 at 05:15PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.7
Based on: 20 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Maagar October 05, 2020 at 18:20

    Students should have rapid access to testing - they'll be heading home for holidays soon enough but many are unaware if they're infected.

  • Posted by MG64 October 05, 2020 at 19:15

    It is important that the universities support students by ensuring the students have access to walk in test centres at all halls of residences as well as at all of the University main campuses.

  • Posted by MG64 October 05, 2020 at 19:15

    It is important that the universities support students by ensuring the students have access to walk in test centres at all halls of residences as well as at all of the Universities main campuses.

  • Posted by AuroraB October 06, 2020 at 18:29

    We should have a campaign to test all students at affected unis, even if asymptomatic. It seems likely given the rate of asymptomatic infection in young people that the current criteria won't work to stop spread at universities. Yes, this would be a major strain on testing capacity (although hopefully new rapid tests that are being developed would help) but it seems less problematic long-term than having students continue to spread Covid to each other in crowded halls and shared flats, to the rest of the community in pubs/ restaurants and potentially take it home to elderly relatives. It's not fair on students to ask them to either stay in crowded settings where they may not feel safe (whilst being unable to socialise, go to class or do any of the other things that make it worth it) or to go home untested and risk giving their relatives Covid.

  • Posted by PoppyG October 06, 2020 at 22:01

    Scotland can learn from countries that have managed to successfully open up universities which includes mass testing even of asymptomatic cases, a working track and trace system and supports for self-isolating when needed. How much of that have universities got right? The default position should be for students who can to study from home to do so as it is for workers.

  • Posted by Nm October 11, 2020 at 20:33

    Students and the university cities have been very accomodating in this experiment of mass migration and covid spread.

    Such a large cohort would be ideal for another experiment on rapid testing such as the abbot tests.

    Students do their terms work then return home just like any other worker, whose job requires them to travel.
    So could rapid testing facilitate this movement
    and minimise spikes in home towns and avoid the accomodation lock-in scenes at start of term?

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