After cases of COVID-19 were confirmed to be at a four-month high nationally, fears have sparked surrounding the upcoming influx of students into the city.
As cases of COVID-19 are on the rise again, students and residents of Nottingham alike believe tests should be available for students on campus.
This comes just days before Welcome Week and the new academic term when thousands of students will be relocating across the country to attend face-to-face classes and social events.
Nottingham Trent University announced today they were launching a new tracking system on their website, and were working with partners to allow for quick and convenient testing.
Despite Nottingham Trent University following a ‘blended approach’ this semester, it is feared that the dramatic increase in students in the city could cause a large spread of the virus.
NTU Labour Students believe that on-campus coronavirus testing is a fundamental need for students to ensure their safety.
Sam Harris, President of NTU Labour and final year International Relations and Politics student said: “With NTU continuing to hold events and operate in a ‘normal’ style we need to ensure that students and staff are safe.
“The key to stopping a severe breakout of COVID at NTU is to isolate cases and testing can definitely do this.
“If NTU wishes students to still come into university and join their events they have a responsibility to protect students and provide testing to everyone,” he added.
NTU Labour’s social secretary and second year Politics student at NTU, Scarlett Ryan, also believes that campus testing is key.
She said: “Nottingham is filled with students not only from NTU but from UoN, coming from all over the country, and parts of the world. Testing is vital to ensure the safety of students, staff and residents.
“Many students will be living in shared student housing, putting them at risk, as we are unaware of who and how our housemates socialise.
“Testing weekly protects us from spreading the virus to our family’s and loved ones when travelling home, and will prevent the spread of the virus.”
In a poll conducted by Platform Magazine, 94 per cent of students believe COVID-19 testing should be available on campus and five per cent would be willing to travel for a test.
This comes after the University of Cambridge revealed they would be testing 16,000 students living in university-owned accommodation.
Locally, the University of Nottingham also announced they were developing tests for asymptomatic students on campus to prevent the spread of infection.
Other universities including the University of East Anglia and Leicester will be providing students with weekly coronavirus testing.
By Faith Pring
Feature image credit: Olimpia Zagnat
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