The City of Liverpool, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England, is currently running a mass testing pilot for COVID-19 for which our students and staff are encouraged to take part.
The University’s experts in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences believe that this initiative has the capacity to help us defeat the virus and move Liverpool back to something resembling normal life.
Professor Louise Kenny, Executive Pro-Vice Chancellor, said: “Getting tested in this programme is the fastest way we can break the chain of infection and protect ourselves and each other. Liverpool knows better than any other city that we are stronger together and we always do the right thing by each other. This is no different – so I would encourage everyone to support the programme and get tested.”
Where can I get a test?
Everyone living, studying or working in Liverpool will be offered regular COVID-19 tests, whether they have symptoms (symptomatic) or not (asymptomatic), in the first citywide programme of its kind in the country.
If you don’t have symptoms
Tests for those without symptoms are available at numerous sites across the city with more sites opening on a daily basis.
The University has two test sites:
- Greenbank Student Village – open for students and staff on a walk-in basis between 7am and 7pm every day with no need to book.
- University’s Sports and Fitness Centre, situated on the University campus – open for students, staff and the general public on a walk-in basis between 7am and 7pm every day with no need to book.
Please find the current list of test sites here.
Those without COVID-19 symptoms are encouraged to get a test by walking up to their nearest test site – there is no need to book an appointment.
If you have symptoms
Despite the mass testing programme, if you begin to experience symptoms of COVID-19, you should immediately self-isolate and book a test via our on-campus testing facility. This facility represents a significant investment by the University to ensure your safety and is providing us with vital data about infections on campus. It is important that symptomatic students and staff members continue to use this facility to help us to quickly manage any potential outbreak situations on campus.
The facility is located on Peach Street car park, opposite 502 Teaching Hub, and we are now also offering testing, for those with symptoms, at Greenbank Student Village. Further information and links to book can be found on our COVID Safety web hub.
What happens if I test positive?
If you test positive for COVID-19, regardless of where you took the test, you should follow the University’s reporting procedure. You can find the details of this here. You should also follow any reporting instructions sent to you by the government.
Importance of mass testing
In a recent blog the Director of Public Health in Liverpool, Matt Ashton, explains the reasons why it is important that everyone participates.
The more people who are tested the more effective the pilot will be, and the more chance our city has of bringing infection levels back under control. Therefore, we are encouraging all students, and all staff based in Liverpool, to take up the opportunity to be regularly tested throughout this programme. It is our opportunity to pave the way for reduced restrictions on all of our lives, and will hopefully mean Liverpool is not put back into tier 3 following the national lockdown.