St Andrews students urged to get test for Covid

All students who have returned to St Andrews have been urged to take a Covid test as soon as possible – just days after an illegal lockdown party was broken up.

The Courier has learned that St Andrews University’s Covid helpdesk has sent an email to every undergraduate they believe to be in town encouraging them to book a test.

The communication has been targeted at people who previously informed the university they were staying in St Andrews over the inter-semester break and, crucially, those who have logged on locally to the university network.

The move comes after security staff were called to a party attended by up to 40 people at David Russell Apartments, where a number of students were seen fleeing the scene and a member of staff was even injured and hospitalised as party-goers tried to escape.

A police probe and the university’s own investigation into the incident on January 30/31 is ongoing, and disciplinary action will be taken against students involved. A 19-year-old man has already been reported to the procurator fiscal.

Amid concerns about that, and the possibility other illicit gatherings may have taken place, the university’s email has highlighted the importance of every student who is in St Andrews taking a test.

And it added: “There will be no judgments made on the reasons people have returned and there will be no attempt by us to ask anyone to justify their decision to return.”

APPEAL: All students in St Andrews have been urged to get a Covid test done, days after an illegal party.