University Covid testing service open to young children of staff and students


February 1st, 2022

From Monday 7 February 2022, primary school-aged children of staff and students will be eligible for asymptomatic Covid-19 testing through the university’s accredited Asymptomatic Testing Service.

Parents and carers can pick up test kits from campus, test their children at home, register their test online (registration will begin from 7 Feb), and drop the registered test back off on campus. Tests will be registered in the child’s name, but results will be emailed to the parent or carer.  

Parents and carers must consent to the test on behalf of their child as part of the registration process. Results are usually distributed the day after the test is submitted.  

Testing regularly through the service helps to identify Covid in people who are asymptomatic and may never show symptoms through the course of their infection, who could otherwise unknowingly transmit Covid .

The tests also pick up infections before people begin to display symptoms, allowing them to isolate earlier and potentially infect fewer people – reducing transmission on our campuses and in the wider community. 

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Long said: “The Asymptomatic Testing Service is a key element of the measures we have in place to manage the pandemic and keep Covid transmission as low as possible on our campuses.

By opening up the service to young children of our staff and students, we are further strengthening the safety of our university community – while also impacting infection rate in the wider community.” 

If you or your child have symptoms of Covid-19, you should test through the NHS. Do not come on to campus and use the Asymptomatic Testing Service.  

For more information, visit the university’s Testing Service webpages.

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3 Comments

February 1st, 2022 at 3:43 pm

Kim Rodgers

This is really positive – thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen.

February 2nd, 2022 at 2:01 pm

Maxine Lazzari

Is there an upper age limit please?

February 2nd, 2022 at 3:39 pm

Cyrus M

Hi Maxine, thanks for getting in touch. Only staff and students, primary school-aged children in their care, or older children with additional needs who are consequently unable to consent for themselves – for example, because they have medical or physical impairments – may access the service. Staff or students must be able to consent on behalf on the child they are submitting the test for, so the service is only available to younger children. We are also carefully monitoring uptake to ensure that we can continue to provide a high-quality, timely service to our primary audience – staff and students. Thanks, hope that helps.

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