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Gillam, T. Berger, Cole, J., Gharbi, K., Angiolini, E., Barker, T., Bickerton, P., Brabbs, T., Chin, J. 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9398-5579, Coen, E., Cossey, S., Davey, R., Davidson, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6624-4011, Durrant, A., Edwards, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3292-2064, Hall, N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2808-0009, Henderson, S., Hitchcock, M., Irish, N., Lipscombe, J., Jones, G., Parr, G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9365-9132, Rushworth, S., Shearer, N., Smith, R. and Steel, N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1528-140X
(2021)
Norwich COVID-19 testing initiative pilot: evaluating the feasibility of asymptomatic testing on a university campus.
Journal of Public Health, 43 (1).
pp. 82-88.
ISSN 1741-3842
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Abstract
Background: There is a high prevalence of COVID-19 in university-age students, who are returning to campuses. There is little evidence regarding the feasibility of universal, asymptomatic testing to help control outbreaks in this population. This study aimed to pilot mass COVID-19 testing on a university research park, to assess the feasibility and acceptability of scaling up testing to all staff and students. Methods: This was a cross-sectional feasibility study on a university research park in the East of England. All staff and students (5625) were eligible to participate. All participants were offered four PCR swabs, which they self-administered over two weeks. Outcome measures included uptake, drop-out rate, positivity rates, participant acceptability measures, laboratory processing measures, data collection and management measures. Results: 798 (76%) of 1053 who registered provided at least one swab; 687 (86%) provided all four; 792 (99%) of 798 who submitted at least one swab had all negative results and 6 participants had one inconclusive result. There were no positive results. 458 (57%) of 798 participants responded to a post-testing survey, demonstrating a mean acceptability score of 4.51/5, with five being the most positive. Conclusions: Repeated self-testing for COVID-19 using PCR is feasible and acceptable to a university population.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Funding Information: Project funding was provided by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Core Capability Grant BBS/E/T/000PR9816, Quadram Institute, John Innes Centre, and the University of East Anglia, generously supported by local charities and philanthropists. The CyVerse UK cloud is funded by the BBSRC National Capability award to EI BBS/E/T/000PR9814. |
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School Faculty of Science > School of Computing Sciences Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Nov 2020 01:09 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Apr 2023 18:37 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/77572 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa194 |
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