Book an asymptomatic COVID test.

You may feel fine, but it is good to know that you are OK to protect your friends, housemates, cohort and wider community.

The lateral flow test is :

• An approved and trusted way of testing. 

• A quick and easy swab with the process only taking about 15 minutes and results available in 1 hour.

• Safe - managed by the NHS Test and Trace Team, with the testing sites overseen by the University following the government guidelines.

All Christ Church students and staff coming on to campus are expected to take the tests- whether this is to attend face-to-face teaching or to access the Library, resources and facilities to support your assessments /coursework. 

This includes students who stayed in the area over Christmas, those who are moving back to the area after the Christmas break and commuting students already living in the local area. 

• If you are travelling from your home address to your university address please make use of local community testing before travelling. We recommend you also are tested once you arrive.  
• They are only for those who have no COVID-19 symptoms and are not in self- isolation.
• Students who have had a positive test within 90 days do not need to be tested. 
• KMMS students can book themselves in either the Christ Church or University of Kent test centres. 
• Placement students may be offered tests by their placement providers. In addition, if you are on a placement that is local to the Canterbury or Medway area you can book an asymptomatic test with us. If you return from your placement to campus for learning and teaching or to use the facilities before 5 February, then we also recommend you book an asymptomatic test with us beforehand.

If you do not get tested, you should self-isolate for 10 days, to reduce the risk of transmission between home and university.

You do not need to take a test or self-isolate if you have tested positive within the last 90 days and are clear of symptoms. 

All students are eligible for an asymptomatic COVID-19 test. 

Passengers travelling from a country not on the exemption (travel corridor) list will need to self-isolate in their accommodation for 10 days. From 15 December, you will have the option to take an accredited COVID-19 test from a private testing provider after five days of self-isolation, and a negative test result would release you from the need to isolate from day six. More information is available on the Test to Release scheme. Please note that the asymptomatic tests would not be valid for this purpose.

We work in partnership with our placement providers to support you into a safe working environment. This means that your placement organisation will have risk assessments in place to provide a COVID secure environment and this often includes the opportunity to take a COVID test with them.

Health and Social Care students hold critical worker status and can access testing through the placement organisation.

The advice is for Health and Education students to attend your placements as planned, following the social distancing measures for the tier that your placement is within, and to comply with all local risk management requirements.

In addition, if you are on a placement that is local to the Canterbury or Medway area you can book an asymptomatic test with us.

If you return from your placement to campus for learning and teaching or to use the facilities before 5 February, then we also recommend you book an asymptomatic test with us beforehand.

If you have any questions, please contact your Programme/Placement Team for advice and support.

You must book the test in advance:

• Canterbury Test Centre, St Georges, Tuesday and Friday, 9.30am - 5pm - click here
• For asymptomatic test centres in Medway click here
• For asymptomatic test centres in Kent click here.
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This test is only for those who are not displaying symptoms. If you are displaying COVID-19 symptoms you need to book your test here.

Students who have had a positive test within 90 days do not need to be tested. 

Staff will be there to help you through this quick and easy process which takes about 15 minutes as follows:

• You need to bring a mobile phone, tablet or laptop so you can login into the NHS Test and Trace;

• You need to arrive at the test site at your allocated booking time and visit the registration desk;

• You will receive a test kit, test card with QR code and copies of a barcode;

• Scan the QR code on the test card and register;

• Go to the booth available;

• Attach barcode to Lateral Flow Device and self-administer swab;

• Pass the swab through the booth to operative for processing;

• Leave the test site with barcode attached to test card;

• Receive and act on the results.

Please remember to wash you hands before you leave for and when you return from the test, wear face coverings and maintain social distancing.

Research suggest that the current lateral flow test has been found to have high specificity but with slightly lower sensitivity i.e. potential to miss some COVID-19 positive cases. Therefore, the Government recommends you need to take two tests within 3 days of each other. You should also continue to follow the Government guidelines including following social distancing, wearing face covering and washing your hands regularly. 

If you test negative please book your second test to confirm. 

The Government has asked students to be tested at the point they return to campus. 

If you are travelling from your home address to your university address please make use of local community testing before travelling.We recommend you also are tested once you arrive.  

You should have 2 tests, each 3 days apart, and limit social interactions with other students until a negative test is confirmed. As such we recommend you should plan to take your first test 5 days before you need to be on campus. 

If you do not get tested, you should self-isolate for 10 days, to reduce the risk of transmission between home and university.

You do not need to take a test or self-isolate if you have tested positive within the last 90 days and are clear of symptoms. 

All Christ Church students and staff coming on to campus are expected to be tested.

It is advised you take the tests at the centre closest to where you live to minimise travel, close to the time you are coming back to campus. 

If you have a local community asymptomatic test centre near to you, please book your tests there.  

• Canterbury Test Centre, St Georges, Tuesday and Friday, 9.30am - 5pm - click here
• For asymptomatic test centres in Medway click here
• For asymptomatic test centres in Kent click here.

 If you are travelling from your home address to your university address please make use of local community testing before travelling. If this is not possible or there is gap between you travelling and coming onto campus, please book a test with us.

If you do not get tested, you should self-isolate for 10 days, to reduce the risk of transmission between home and university.

You should receive two negative lateral flow tests, 3 days apart and as close as possible to the date of your first time back at university:

• A positive result will require individuals to self-isolate for 10 days. You should let the University know by completing this form so we can advise and support you. 

• If negative, book another test to confirm. Two negative test results mean you are not infectious. 
  
  However remember you still have to follow the latest Government guidelines for the current tier we are in. This will include social distancing, wearing face coverings and regularly washing your hands. 

• Through this asymptomatic testing you might be told that you’re a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. You will need to self-isolate for 10 days and let the university know by completing this form. If you develop symptoms you will need to book a test here. 
  
  

If you do not receive your results please contact NHS Test and Trace on 119. 

If you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 you will have to self-isolate for 10 days and your household, support bubble or close contacts will also have to self-isolate for 10 days.

We are here to support you throughout your self-isolation, ensuring you can stay safe, well and continue with your studies as much as possible.

Click here for details.

If you are displaying COVID-19 symptoms do not come to the asymptomatic test centre. You need to book your test here.

Please let the University know by completing this form.

Remember to follow the government guidance on self-isolation. Self-isolation, whilst disruptive for those affected, is an essential part of the fight against the virus. 

The university offers a range of support for those in self-isolation. 

Lateral flow tests are very accurate (highly specific), which means that only a very small proportion of people who do not have coronavirus will receive a positive result (false positive). However, in mass testing, because so many people without symptoms are being tested there is still the possibility of getting a false positive result. If you test positive, you should book a PCR test by the NHS website to confirm your result. 

A negative test result provides information about the level of the virus at one point in time. There is, however, the potential for the test result to be a false negative and that an individual is infected with Covid-19, but not yet have a high enough level of the virus for this to be registered by the LFD test. There is also the potential for an individual to become infected in the hours or days after taking a LFD test. It is therefore extremely important that every individual:

• Follows the latest UK Government rules on social distancing; and
• Maintains sensible control measures such as “hand, face, space” (washing your hands, wearing a face covering, and maintaining social distance with those outside your household), keeping to the “rule of 6” outdoors, and not mixing with other households indoors.

The test is an additional control to be used in conjunction with the other measures.

Due to the potential for the LFD test to return an incorrect result to an individual, Canterbury Christ Church University cannot guarantee that the LFD test result an individual receives is accurate. Consequently, Canterbury Christ Church University does not make any warranties or representations as to the accuracy or completeness of the LFD Test and under no circumstances will Canterbury Christ Church University accept liability for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered by an individual which results from or is in connection with an individual having taken an LFD test provided by Canterbury Christ Church University.

A copy of the result will be sent to the individual’s GP. Positive results are also sent to Public Health England.

To find out how we use your personal data when you register for a coronavirus test, read the coronavirus privacy notice