Student Life | Lateral Flow Tests

Students and staff on campus are strongly advised to take a Lateral Flow Test twice a week, ideally 3 days apart, at the SportsPark. Although not mandatory, testing can identify those who are not displaying symptoms of COVID-19 but are unknowingly carrying the virus.

• Twice weekly testing is also available to everyone living in England and you can find out more on the government website.

If you test positive from a lateral flow test, you and your household must self-isolate immediately for 10 days and let us know using our online form so we can support you and your close contacts, and help you to get a priority confirmatory PCR test. Following a decrease in the prevalence of the virus in England, Public Health England have reintroduced the requirement to take a confirmatory PCR test after a positive lateral flow result. This change came into effect from 30 March 2021.

The only exceptions to taking a lateral flow test are:

if you have returned/arrived in the UK from overseas, there is specific guidance you need to follow. Please carefully read this information on arriving in the UK from overseas.
if you are self-isolating due to having symptoms, testing positive, or having had close contact with someone who tested positive;

Please note: If you are already showing any of the main symptoms of COVID-19 – a high temperature, new continuous cough or a loss/change of your sense of taste or smell, you must not book a Lateral Flow Test. You should let us know so we can support you and book a PCR test through the n ational NHS testing system.

If you have any other questions, please contact our COVID-19 support line at covid-hotline@reading.ac.uk. This inbox will be monitored daily from Monday to Friday.

Who is eligible to take the test?

• You must be a current University of Reading student
• You must be 16 years of age or over
• You must not be displaying any of the main symptoms of COVID-19 (a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss/change to you sense of taste/smell)
• You must read and understand the privacy information
• You must consent to participation in the test programme.

How do I book a test?

You can book your test using our online booking system for:

• a student rapid test for students who do not have any accessibility requirements
• an accessible or supported test for students who may need extra assistance or space to take a test, or who need to request adjustments because of a disability.

You can book your two Lateral Flow Tests three days apart at the same time, but you must remember to cancel your second test if you can no longer make it.

What should I expect when I arrive?

The whole process – from arriving, to taking the test, to leaving – should take no more than 20 minutes, or 30 minutes if you have booked an accessible or supported appointment. Just follow these five simple steps.

Step 1 – Prepare for your appointment. You must bring:
· your Campus Card
· a face covering (make sure you are wearing one prior to entering the Sports Hall)
· a mobile phone (you will need to scan a QR code to register)
· your GP (doctor’s) details if you have them to provide at registration (the name of the surgery you are registered with is sufficient – for example, the University Medical Practice)
· hand sanitiser if you have some.

You should not have to queue for long.

Step 2 – Arrive at the Sports Hall. When you book, you will select a time slot for your test. Please arrive 10 minutes before your booking time and follow all signs and one-way systems directing you to the testing centre, observing social distancing requirements.

Step 3 – Register by scanning a QR code using your mobile phone. If you do not have a phone that can scan a QR code, an alternative means of registering will be provided. You will be given a registration card and some unique bar codes that will identify the test as yours. Attach one bar code to your registration card for your record. You will be given a test kit and someone will direct you to a testing booth.

Step 4 – Take your test. In the booth, you will be given a swab to use to take a sample from your nose and throat. There will be a staff member there to provide advice and guidance, and you can prepare by watching a short NHS video on how to do the test.

Step 5 – Leave your test kit for processing. You do not have to wait for your test result and you can leave as soon as you have handed over your test kit. You will receive your result by text message and email, typically in 30 to 60 minutes.

Step 6 – Travel home safely. If you receive a positive test result, travel to your term-time home immediately, in your own vehicle or by walking or cycling, where possible. If this is not possible, you should arrange for a member of your household to pick you up. When traveling, observe social distancing measures, keeping at least 2m away from others, keeping windows open, wearing a face covering, facing away from others, avoiding touch points, washing your hands before and after the journey and using hand sanitiser at regular intervals during the journey.

Asymptomatic contacts of positives cases should go home as they would normally do. If the contact becomes symptomatic, they should follow same travel advice as positive cases.

What happens after I have taken my test?

You do not have to wait at the test centre for your test result and you can leave as soon as you have handed over your test kit. You will receive your result by text message or email, as you selected when registering, typically in 30 to 60 minutes.

If you test positive:

After receiving a positive result from a Lateral Flow Test, travel to your term-time home immediately, wearing a face covering, in your own vehicle or by walking or cycling, where possible. If this is not possible, you should arrange for a member of your household to pick you up. When traveling, observe social distancing measures, keeping at least 2m away from others, keeping windows open, wearing a face covering, facing away from others, avoiding touch points, washing your hands before and after the journey and using hand sanitiser at regular intervals during the journey.

Those with a positive lateral flow result must take a confirmatory PCR test on the same day (or as soon as possible) and you can leave your home for the follow-up test. If the follow-up PCR test is negative, then you and everyone in your household can stop self-isolating, unless you develop the main symptoms of COVID-19 or are told you must continue to self-isolate by NHS Test & Trace. If the follow-up PCR test is positive, you and your household will need to self-isolate for 10 full days from the time of the positive lateral flow test (this includes the day of the test and the next 10 full days).

If you test negative:
We recommend that you book your next test for three days later.

I have a disability or accessibility issue. How can you support me to get a test?

In order to ensure that you can access testing, there are a number of things we are doing to support you:

• Booking: if you cannot easily complete the online booking form, please contact the COVID-19 Support email at covid-support@reading.ac.uk and we will be in touch with you from 4 January.

• Accessible/supported appointments: The Sports Hall itself is fully accessible. In addition to standard student and staff appointment slots, we also have supported slots available – you just need to select this option in the booking system. These appointments are a bit longer to give you extra time and you will have access to a larger testing booth. You are also welcome to bring a carer or assistant with you.

• Assistance with taking the test: The LFT swab tests are self-administered. If you feel that you require support, you are able to bring a carer or other supporter with you to help you administer the test. If you need further assistance, a member of the testing centre team will be available to support you but we are not able to administer the test for you. If you believe you will need support, please book an accessible or supported test slot and indicated the nature of the assistance you require, we will then contact you in advance of your appointment to talk through the help with can provide.

If you indicate on the booking form for an accessible/supported test that you need assistance or other adjustment beyond these measures, the testing team will consider this and where it is reasonable to do so the specific adjustment will be made. If there are any issues, someone from our testing team will contact you in advance of your appointment. There will also be a site supervisor available at all times to assist with any issues that arise on the day.

What happens if I don’t receive an email or text message with my result after taking a Lateral Flow Test?

You will receive your result by text message or email, as you selected when registering, typically 30 to 60 minutes after taking the test. If you don’t receive your result, please contact the NHS Test & Trace Enquiries Service by calling 119 (from 8am to 8pm). The test results are held by the NHS only and we do not have access to them.

How do I cancel or amend my lateral flow test?

Do I need to take a Lateral Flow Test (LFT) if I have already had COVID-19?

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within 90 days you are likely to have developed some immunity to it. For this reason, you may choose not to take an LFT during this period. If you develop new COVID-19 symptoms during these 90 days you should take a PCR test.
You must begin a new period of self-isolation if you:

• decide to take an LFT and the result is positive
• develop new symptoms
• are identified as a close contact of a positive case.