Plan for university students in UK to take rapid Covid tests is leading to chaos

Student travel window ahead of Christmas opens this week

A student from the University of St Andrews takes a swab at a mass testing centre. AFP

Many university students in the UK could decline to take rapid Covid-19 tests to avoid going into self isolation ahead of Christmas, an academic union said.

The University and College Union (UCU) said the government plan for rapid testing was a rushed move that had led to chaos.

Tens of thousands of university students are expected to return home this week at the opening of the Christmas travel window.

The student exodus, between December 3 and December 9, is supposed to be underpinned by rapid testing, with students planning to return home for Christmas encouraged to volunteer for a rapid test before they travel.

Those who test positive for the virus will have to self isolate.

But the UCU expects many students will not want to take a rapid test because of concerns over their accuracy.

The rapid tests are considered less accurate than lab-based PCR tests.

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found as many as one in five positive tests were incorrect.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “We have grave concerns over how this programme will be carried out, particularly the risk of students being told – incorrectly – they do not have Covid, then relying on their test result to travel home and spend Christmas with vulnerable relatives.

“The risk of students receiving the wrong test result increases when testers have not been fully trained – rushing these plans makes that more likely.”

Students from the University of St Andrews wait to take a coronavirus test. AFP

Ms Grady said that there was a “worrying lack of support” for students forced to enter self isolation.

“It is not good enough for the government to refer to a non-binding checklist for how universities should support students that was issued in early October, when we have just seen a wave of protests from students opposing how they have been treated,” she said.

The National Union of Students said there were "serious obstacles" in the way for mass testing to succeed.

NCU vice president of higher education Hillary Gyebi-Ababio said: "We know that students want to get home and want to protect their loved ones and the wider public. However, there are serious obstacles in place ​that this government needs to address if they really want to see students benefit from this testing regime

"NUS is concerned that many students will simply not have access to this testing regime due to capacity issues."

Ms Gyebi-Ababio said there was no support for students who were forced to self isolate.

"Students remain unjustly excluded from the £500 ($668) low-income self-isolation payment and, as Sage have identified, financial insecurity means people can struggle to comply fully," she said.

"Students have been asked to sacrifice a huge deal throughout this pandemic and have been offered almost nothing in the way of support and this has to change.”

When the plans for the student travel window were announced this month, Universities Minister Michelle Donelan described the rollout of rapid tests as a “complementary element” of the plan.

She said the government wanted to "facilitate as much testing as possible", but will target universities in areas with higher infection rates and proportions of vulnerable students.

Students are encouraged to take two tests three days apart by December 9. Those who test positive have to self isolate for 10 days in their halls of residence or other accommodation.

A government spokesperson said of the rapid testing scheme: “We have set out tailored guidance to universities designed by public health professionals to enable students to return home for the Christmas holidays while minimising the risk of transmission.

“The tests are safe, simple to use and do not require medically trained staff to administer them. Just like the tests available across our regional test sites, individuals will be asked to self-swab under guidance from trained staff.”

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