All students who have returned to St Andrews have been urged to take a Covid test as soon as possible – just days after an illegal lockdown party was broken up.
The Courier has learned that St Andrews University’s Covid helpdesk has sent an e-mail to every undergraduate they currently believe to be in town encouraging them to book a test to prevent the spread of the virus.
The communication has been targeted at people who previously informed the university they were staying in St Andrews over the inter-semester break and, crucially, those who have logged on locally to the university network.
The move comes after security staff were called to a party attended by up to 40 people at David Russell Apartments, where a number of students were seen fleeing the scene and a member of staff was even injured and hospitalised as party-goers tried to escape.
A police probe and the university’s own investigation into the incident on January 30/31 is ongoing, and disciplinary action will be taken against students involved. A 19-year-old man has already been reported to the procurator fiscal.
Amid concerns about that, and the possibility other illicit gatherings may have taken place, the university’s e-mail has highlighted the importance of every student who is currently in St Andrews now taking a test.
And it added: “There will be no judgements made on the reasons people have returned after the break, and there will be no attempt by us to ask anyone to justify their decision to return.”
The message to students also notes that the university will not be informed of the results, adding that tests can be booked at the dedicated student testing centre at the University Sports Centre.
Dan Marshall, president of the St Andrews Students’ Association, highlighted the student community’s strength of feeling about the events of last weekend.
“Throughout this year we have all had to make sacrifices to keep the virus under control and the overwhelming majority of St Andrews students have done this with incredible determination,” he said.
“The party that took place last week has left a lot of students feeling angry and frustrated that a small number of individuals felt that they were somehow above the law, letting the rest of their peers down.
“I’d encourage all students to get tested if they return as it’s one of the best ways to ensure that St Andrews can maintain the low level of cases we enjoyed last semester.
“It’s simple, free and the results are confidential so I hope everyone will book their tests as soon as they can.”
While condemning the behaviour of those who flagrantly breached Covid regulations at David Russell Apartments, a spokesperson for the University of St Andrews said the response of the student community to the pandemic in general has been “exemplary”.
“Incidents like this make the news, but what is not seen or reported is the cooperation, sacrifice and commitment of thousands of St Andrews undergraduates and postgraduates who have helped keep Covid rates in this part of Fife very low,” the spokesperson added.
“To date, there has not been a single recorded instance of Covid transmission from the university community to the wider public.”
