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HEALTH-VIRUS-BRITAIN-TESTING
Scotland begins student virus tests before Christmas
ST ANDREWS, United Kingdom, Nov 28, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – As an unusual term
comes to a close and Christmas holidays draw closer, students at the
University of St Andrews in Scotland filed in and out of a sports hall that
has been transformed into a mass coronavirus testing centre.
“It’s a huge piece of mind just to be able to go home and be with my
family, knowing that everything is safe,” Fiona Waddell, a 19-year-old
psychology student said before the centre opens for testing on Saturday.
“We’re lucky enough that we are able to be together at Christmas and I just
don’t want anything to compromise that,” she told AFP.
The centuries-old university on Scotland’s northeast coast has set up the
centre as part of a rollout of Covid-19 tests for students across Scotland
before the end of term.
The facility, where students self-test with one of the million lateral flow
test kits that have been provided to Scotland by the UK government, has the
capacity for 1,500 students each day.
It will remain open until December 18 with students who plan to return home
for the festive break asked to take two tests three days apart.
The UK government in London, which sets health policy for England, and the
devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have
unveiled plans to allow students to return home for Christmas.
All want to minimise the chance of spreading the virus as they travel.
Students in England and Wales have been asked to return home during a week-
long travel window after taking coronavirus tests.
In Scotland a staggered return is planned across the seven-day window.
– ‘Good opportunity’ –
Alastair Merrill, vice-principal for governance at St Andrews, said the
asymptomatic testing initiative meant when students returned home they can
“keep their families and communities safe when they do so”.
Results from the lateral flow tests are shown within 30 minutes and
processed and sent to students within 24 hours.
A survey by the St Andrews Students’ Association found some 80 per cent of
students are planning to go home for the holidays.
Rebecca Clunie, a 22-year-old chemistry student, who swabbed her throat and
the back of her nose to self-administer the test, said taking the test
earlier meant she could self-isolate before going home — if that was
necessary.
“Even if it is positive I’ve still got time to self-isolate before I have
to go home,” she explained.
Anna-Ruth Cockerham, a 20-year-old studying mathematics, said it was going
to be good to get home after a term where social interaction had been limited
because of the virus.
“I think as well many students, myself included, haven’t had the
opportunity to really mix with other people so to be able to go home and see
your family is a good opportunity,” she added.
BSS/AFP/SSS/0903 hrs