Released: 25.11.20
An鈥痑symptomatic testing site鈥痮f鈥痩ateral鈥痜low tests鈥痠s launching at鈥�91视频 campus鈥痠n鈥疍erriford,鈥痑s part of the Government鈥檚 UK-wide continuing drive to increase鈥痶he availability鈥痮f鈥痬ass鈥痶esting.鈥�鈥�
91视频 is working with NHS Test & Trace to set up an on-campus asymptomatic testing site so that students without symptoms, who may be infectious but unaware, are able to get tested. They will be asked to鈥�self isolate鈥痠f they鈥痑re infectious, or鈥痳eassured quickly if they are not.鈥�
贵谤辞尘鈥�30 November to 9 December, testing will be available at the Marjon campus in Derriford&苍产蝉辫;蹿辞谤鈥�students and staff. The鈥痶esting site鈥痠s being delivered in partnership with鈥�Marjon鈥痑nd will offer鈥痵elf-swab鈥痶ests.鈥��From the start of the pandemic, the Government has been working around the clock with a range of partners to fight coronavirus.
Lateral flow devices do not require a laboratory to process the test.鈥疨rocessing of these tests鈥痗an鈥痓e conducted at a dedicated testing site鈥痓y trained personnel鈥痑nd鈥痗an rapidly turn around results within an hour.鈥�鈥�
Use of鈥痩ateral flow鈥痶ests鈥痗ould significantly improve the detection of positive cases, so people can isolate themselves and prevent鈥痶he spread of the disease.鈥疉symptomatic testing will help鈥痶o protect those at high risk, fight the virus and help enable us to go back to as normal a way of life as鈥痯ossible.鈥�鈥�鈥�
Anyone testing positive for the virus in England will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them track their contacts. This will鈥痟elp people to identify who they may have been in close contact with, protecting others from further transmission. Close contacts of those testing鈥痯ositive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, asking them to stay at home for 14 days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus.鈥��
Anyone鈥痺ith鈥痵ymptoms鈥痵hould鈥痜ollow the 鈥�or call 119. Lines are open 7am to 11pm.鈥�
The government is working closely with universities to get asymptomatic university students鈥痶ested during the first week of December in order to help students return home safely for鈥疌hristmas.鈥�疶esting will help to break鈥�the chain鈥痮f transmission amongst students鈥痚specially when they are鈥痠nfected but are not aware of it鈥痑nd help to ensure the safety of their loved ones at鈥�丑辞尘别.鈥�鈥�
Students will be鈥痚ncouraged to get鈥痶ested twice鈥痙uring鈥痶he first week of December using Lateral Flow Devices. If鈥痶hey receive two negative tests, they are advised to return home immediately. Should a student鈥痶est positive they will receive a confirmatory PCR and鈥�have to鈥痵elf-isolate for 10 days, still with鈥痚nough time to return home for Christmas.鈥�
Before travelling鈥�home鈥痵tudents are advised鈥痶o:鈥痓ook鈥痶ravel鈥痠n advance, avoid busy times and routes and check鈥痶heir鈥痡ourney in advance to avoid disruptions. If driving only travel with members of your household or support鈥�产耻产产濒别,鈥痑苍诲鈥痜ollow safer travel advice (link) safety guidelines. On public transport鈥痠t is important that travellers wear鈥痑鈥痜ace 肠辞惫别谤颈苍驳鈥赌痷苍濒别蝉蝉 exempt, wash or sanitise hands regularly, use contactless payment and keep 2m distance where possible.鈥�
Health Minister Lord鈥疊ethell鈥�said:鈥�&苍产蝉辫;鈥淲e鈥檝e already come so far since first setting up a national testing programme at an unprecedented pace to help counter COVID-19, but we鈥痗ontinue to strive to go further,鈥�faster.鈥�鈥�
鈥淚nnovations such as鈥痩ateral flow technology鈥�hold the key to the next phase of our ambition to see mass, rapid testing available to people across鈥痶he country.鈥�鈥�鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 delighted that鈥�耻苍颈惫别谤蝉颈迟颈别蝉鈥�are working with us to鈥痷se鈥�lateral flow technology, and I look forward to seeing the鈥痜ruits of their鈥痩abour,鈥痠n鈥痟elping鈥痵tudents鈥痳eturn鈥痟ome for Christmas and鈥痶o鈥痳eturn to a鈥痭ormal way of鈥痩ife as soon as possible.鈥浓赌�鈥�
Baroness Dido Harding, Interim Executive Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection,鈥�said:鈥� 鈥淣HS Test and Trace continues to play a leading role in the fight against COVID-19 with over 32 million tests processed so far.鈥�鈥�鈥�
鈥淭he work of鈥�91视频 will be essential in helping us explore the benefits of new technology.
鈥淭his鈥疉TS鈥痠s one of many which will lay the foundations for the next phase of NHS Test and Trace 鈥� mass testing - which will allow us to test鈥痚ven more people, even more quickly.鈥�鈥�鈥�
Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said: 鈥淲e鈥痑re committed to get students back to their loved ones鈥痜or the Christmas holidays as safely as possible, after this challenging year.
鈥淥ur plans already minimise the risk of students moving at the end of term, through staggered departure dates in the 鈥榮tudent travel window鈥�. But testing will offer further assurances that students can keep their families safe this winter, and I urge all students who can to take the tests on offer.鈥�
91视频 Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rob Warner, said:
鈥�We are delighted that our team could offer this testing capability to provide reassurance for those students who wish to travel to another household for Christmas. We are committed to offering our students a safe, enjoyable university experience and this is part of many measures to ensure their long term&苍产蝉辫;蝉耻肠肠别蝉蝉.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
For media enquiries about the mass testing programme please contact:鈥�pressofficenewsdesk@dhsc.gov.uk鈥�鈥�
