Update from Staffordshire University: New Government guidance on COVID-19 testing
You are now required by the Government to carry out a PCR test, following a positive Lateral Flow Test result. All test results must be reported in line with the latest guidance.
Here at Staffordshire University, we are doing everything we can to support our students and staff through the COVID-19 pandemic. But we need your help to ensure that government guidance is being followed correctly and our community stays safe as restrictions begin to ease.
When planning to come onto campus to take part in Learning and Teaching or any other activities, you must take a lateral flow rapid test before using any of our buildings or facilities, and take weekly tests – ideally twice a week - thereafter.
This will ensure that you are safe to carry out activities on campus and will help to minimise the risk of unknowingly infecting students and staff.
Please take a test as soon as you arrive on campus before using any University facilities or attending face-to-face sessions.?To book a lateral flow rapid test at our LRV Swabbing Centre on our Stoke-on-Trent campus, please follow the instructions below:
Lateral flow rapid tests are available in the LRV between the hours of 9.30am and 3.30pm from Monday to Friday, with results taking around 30 minutes.
If your Lateral Flow Test results are negative, you are free to move around campus as outlined in the Social Distancing guidelines until you take your next test.
If your Lateral Flow Test Results are positive, you must arrange a confirmatory PCR test as soon as possible. Please follow the below instructions:
Students located our London, Stafford, or Shrewsbury campuses should take advantage of the local lateral flow and PCR testing facilities now operating in their areas.
?
Lateral flow rapid testing is only available to individuals who do not display COVID-19 symptoms. Anyone with symptoms should book a PCR test straight away via the?NHS portal?and, if positive, should not leave their current locality until their period of self-isolation is complete.
Report your test
?
Once tested, it is vitally important that you?report your status?to the University before attending any on-campus sessions. This can also be done via your mobile by using the Beacon app and selecting the ‘Covid-19 Test Report’ tile.
It takes a matter of seconds and allows us to provide data to the Government that shows our staff and students on campus are being regularly tested, and that we are maintaining our COVID-secure campuses.
This will ensure that we do not hold up the return of other students to in-person, face-to-face teaching, or require the necessity for stricter measures to be put back in place due to not meeting our testing requirements.
We all have a responsibility in keeping our community safe, and we thank you for your part in keeping our campuses COVID- secure.
We’re here to help
If you have any specific concerns that are not covered in our step-by-step guide, please email covid-19@staffs.ac.uk or call our University’s Coronavirus Helpline on 01782 298500.