COVID-19 Asymptomatic Testing at York St John University   

An asymptomatic testing site (ATS) providing lateral flow tests has been launched at York St John University, as part of the Government’s UK-wide drive to increase the availability of mass testing.

York St John University worked with NHS Test & Trace to set up an on-campus Rapid Response COVID Test Site in November 2020, so that students without symptoms could be tested before the end of term. Those with positive results were supported to self-isolate and negative results gave reassurance to students and to the communities that they live in.

Since 14 December, City of York Council has been running the site to extend symptom-free testing to the wider community. For more information or to book a test, visit: https://www.york.gov.uk/SymptomFreeCOVIDTest

From the start of the pandemic, the government has been working with a range of partners to fight coronavirus. The testing site at York St John University offers self-swab, lateral flow device tests. Lateral flow devices do not require a laboratory to process the test. Processing of these tests can be conducted at a dedicated testing site by trained personnel and can rapidly turn around results within an hour.

Use of lateral flow tests could significantly improve the detection of positive cases, so people can isolate themselves and prevent the spread of the disease. Asymptomatic testing will help to protect those at high risk, find the virus and help enable us to go back to as normal a way of life as possible. The facility at York St John University is part of the city-wide testing capacity in York.

Anyone testing positive for the virus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them track their contacts. This will help people to identify who they may have been in close contact with, protecting others from further transmission. Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, asking them to stay at home for 14 days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus.

All York St John University students and staff accessing campus are encouraged to get tested to help protect themselves, their friends and families and keep local communities as safe as possible.

Professor Karen Bryan, Vice Chancellor of York St John University said:

“I’m very proud of our University community for responding positively during this window of opportunity to take part in the national asymptomatic testing programme. We want to do everything possible to support our students and staff to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. The Rapid Response COVID Testing site enables us to play an important role in tackling the pandemic and moving closer to a more normal way of life.”

Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said:

“We are committed to get students back to their loved ones for the Christmas holidays as safely as possible, after this challenging year.

“Our plans already minimise the risk of students moving at the end of term, through staggered departure dates in the ‘student travel window’. But testing will offer further assurances that students can keep their families safe this winter, and I urge all students who can to take the tests on offer.”