Covid-19 mass testing for students without symptoms gears up for launch day at University of Northampton

The University of Northampton – in partnership with the Government – is launching a programme of mass testing for students without symptoms on Monday to reduce the risk of Covid-19 being passed on to loved ones over Christmas.

The tests that will be used are Lateral Flow Tests – a new kind of technology that could be used to test a higher proportion of asymptomatic people who do not know they are infected – and therefore have a high likelihood of spreading virus – to break the chain of transmission.

Lorraine Gorimani, an advertising and digitial marketing student in her third year, was the first student at the University of Northampton to take a test ahead of Monday's roll out.

She said: "It's a good way of trying to contain the virus, and it's amazing that the university is offering these resources for students to have a free test.

"When I go home, which will be really awesome, it will be to Northern Ireland and I'll be flying, so I want to know that I will be safe and secure and know that nothing is wrong with me, especially at this time it's really challenging."

Lateral Flow Tests can process Covid-19 samples on site, at the Sports Hall, without the need for laboratory equipment, with most generating results in about half an hour.

After booking a test slot, students are given a unique bar code, a registeration card and are directed to a testing bay where the students will have a set of instructions on how to take their own testing kit - with a nose and throat swab.

After putting the swab in a testing tube, a member of testing staff processes the test, which gives them a reading, similar to a pregnancy test, with a result recording positive, negative or void.

Anyone testing positive for the virus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and asked to isolate and book a confirmatory Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) test which is specifically for those with symptoms.

If the result comes back as void, they are asked to test again and if it's negative they will be made to do another test in three days time to make sure they are clear before heading home in the student travel window from December 4.

Lorraine added: "The test was really easy. Of course, I was a bit nervous at first because you hear stories of discomfort when putting swabs down your nose and throat but it was fine.

"So far this year has been challenging because I'm in my final year but I'm enjoying it, it's really different to other years because we are doing online classes and also blended learning, which is face to face one day a week."