More than 300 students have supplied swabs on the first day of Dundee University’s new rapid Covid-19 testing centre.
The new service, which has capacity for 800 daily tests, is voluntary and requires students to self-administer a lateral flow test (LFT) to the throat and nostril.
This is handed to university staff behind protective screens and participants are informed of the result in under an hour.
It is hoped thousands of students will take up the option before travelling for the Christmas holidays.
Our #Covid-19 Asymptomatic Testing Centre has opened.
There remains capacity and we strongly recommend that students intending to travel home for Christmas take a test.Appointments can be made online by visiting https://t.co/2DhEEjvfqrhttps://t.co/8qEBgNXRB7
— University of Dundee (@dundeeuni) November 30, 2020
‘Very good’ uptake
A university spokesman said officials have been pleased with the level of demand.
He said: “It has been a major challenge to establish the Asymptomatic Test Centre within a very short timescale.
“But thanks to the great efforts of staff we were ready to welcome students for testing from 9am, and hundreds will have had their first LFT test by the end of the day.
“Take up has been very good and reflects the positive response of students, who are keen to ensure their own health and that of family and friends they may be returning home to over the winter break.”
The centre’s booking portal crashed due to demand last week but the problem was ironed out over the weekend.
Repeat testing
It has been set up after the UK Government supplied one million lateral flow device test kits to the Scottish Government.
These have been passed on to universities and each is then responsible for the logistics of organising testing.
Students are tested twice within a three-to-five day period.
If they give a positive result, they are asked to take a further test under the NHS Test and Protect Scheme to confirm it.
If the second test is negative, the Scottish Government advises they can travel within 24 hours.
Officials hope mass testing will limit the spread of Covid-19 as students leave campuses and visit families across the country.
The spokesperson added: “The testing is voluntary but we are strongly encouraging students to get tested before travelling home.
“We have capacity within the system, so any student who hasn’t yet booked a test or tests should still be able to do so through, using the links which have been sent to students and posted to social media channels.”
