Student information on symptoms and testing
Information on COVID-19 symptoms and testing for students
STUDENTS: You must let us know if you test positive for COVID-19. Please Fill in this form and we’ll contact you as soon as possible.
There are two main types of testing for COVID-19 being used in the UK:
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests: Used by the NHS to test people with COVID-19 symptoms. If you do not have symptoms and need to take a test for international travel, you can also book a PCR test privately through a pharmacy.
- Lateral Flow Tests (LFT): Also known as ‘rapid’, tests, LFTs are for testing those who do not have symptoms.
If you have any of the main symptoms of COVID-19, you must get a PCR test through the NHS test and trace system as soon as possible. You must stay at home until you get the result.
If you do not have symptoms of COVID-19, we are offering free LFT tests on campus in January.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of coronavirus are:
- a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature);
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual);
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.
Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms. For further information please visit the NHS website.
If you do have any questions please contact our COVID-19 Support & Behaviour Team at covid-support@reading.ac.uk.
PCR tests if you have COVID-19 symptoms
University of Reading COVID case management team
When to self-isolate
LTF tests at the Sports Hall if you don’t have symptoms