Queen’s University Belfast launches on-campus asymptomatic testing programme

Queen’s University Belfast has announced that from next week they will be offering mass on-site testing for its students, in an email sent out last night by the university.

This comes as the UK government announced a national effort earlier this month to introduce mass Covid-19 testing to university campuses across the UK.

As the global battle against coronavirus continues, the plans aims to prevent the spread of coronavirus over the Christmas period, when many students will be travelling home from university.

The email which was sent out late on Friday evening said: “Asymptomatic testing is an important element of the national strategy to tackle the pandemic…Queen’s is pleased to participate in a national pilot that will inform wider roll-out in other parts of society – we are one of the first universities in the UK to do so.”

QUB has rolled out testing facilities at both the PEC and Whitla hall

Testing will be free and is only available to students who are asymptomatic. Demand for this began as a recent ONS survey found that over 80 per cent of people who tested positive for coronavirus between April and June had no main symptoms of the virus on the day of their test.

The tests are to be carried out using recently-approved lateral flow devices that can provide results to students in approximately 60 minutes.

This kind of test has produced results shown to be as good as the PCR test provided by the NHS, according to the email sent by the university.

Students at Queen’s University Belfast can get tested in the Whitla Hall, and testing will be available from Sunday – Thursday, 11am – 8pm.

QUB have said in their communications with students, that tests must be booked in advance and, in addition, students being tested must book two separate tests, no less than three days apart.

Queen’s University Belfast students are encouraged to prevent the spread of the coronavirus this festive period by taking a test before travelling home. More information on how to book a test on the university campus can be found here.