‘Woeful’ lack of detail on Christmas Covid testing for university students

All students returning home from university for Christmas will be offered a new “30-minute” test for coronavirus be fore travelling, but no plans have been confirmed for their new year return.

Between 60,000 and 80,000 people are expected to leave their student accommodation as the semester draws to a close, with Further Education Minister Richard Lochhead promising to “bust a gut” to make sure the testing is carried out.

But the minister was heavily criticised during his statement to parliament yesterday afternoon for not being able to say what plans are in place “for students heading back to campus in January”.

Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said the country could not afford for students to be treated the way they were in September, while Labour education spokesman Iain Gray called the lack of information “woeful”.

As many as 160,000 tests could be conducted, with students expected to take the test twice – including those not showing any symptoms of the virus – as part of a UK-wide initiative.

Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, said: “Student welfare has guided our decisionmaking throughout the pandemic and that will continue.

“We agree that it ’s important that students living away from their families have the chance to reconnect at Christmas and this needs to be carefully managed to reduce risk.

“We we lcome the measures announced by the Scottish Government.”