Norwich COVID-19 Testing Initiative: feasibility project evaluation

Abstract

Background There is a high prevalence of COVID-19 in university-age students, who are returning to university campuses. There is little evidence regarding the feasibility of universal, asymptomatic testing to 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 to all staff and students. Methods This was a cross-sectional feasibility study on a university research park in the East of England. Staff and students (5,625) on the research park were eligible to participate. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was offered to all participants. Participants were offered 4 swabs, which they self-administered over a two-week period. Outcome measures included: uptake; drop-out rate; positivity rates; participant acceptability measures; laboratory processing measures. Results 798/1053 (76%) of those who registered provided at least one swab and of these, 687 (86%) provided all four. 681/687 (99%) had all negative results. 6 participants had one inconclusive result. There were no positive results. 458/798 (57%) participants responded to a post-testing questionnaire. 446/458 (97.5%) of those who responded agreed that they would be interested in repeat testing in the future. Conclusions Repeated self-testing is feasible and acceptable to a university population.

Seroprevalence Study and Cross-Sectional Survey on COVID-19 for a Plan to Reopen the University of Alicante (Spain)

“…In their study, Blaisdell et al [ 43 ] suggested that a two-phased universal testing strategy may be effective in minimizing transmission, and the experiences of the University of Texas and North Carolina University highlights the potential for rapid transmission on campus [ 12 , 44 , 45 ]. Gillam et al [ 18 ] proposed that repeated self-testing for COVID-19 using PCR is feasible and acceptable for a university population.…”

“…Other studies have shown that universal testing may have a significant impact on the control of the virus, depending on the ability of the location to implement other control measures [ 44 ], but universal testing and testing symptomatic people are not well studied as testing programs for COVID-19 at a university campus [ 18 ], and the type of test that would be the most useful in the university context considered is still unknown.…”

“…Faced with a possible skepticism or fear of returning to class due to risk perception [ 13 ], studies were carried out to simulate strategic models [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. These studies showed that randomized testing, contact-tracing, and quarantining were important components of the strategy for containing campus outbreaks [ 13 ], as opposed to symptom-based screening [ 15 , 16 ], and also showed that these should be individualized according to each university [ 17 ].The feasibility of self-administered tests was verified [ 18 ], and the students’ knowledge and behaviors regarding COVID-19 [ 19 ] or the prevalence of symptoms were explored [ 20 ], especially in health sciences or medicine departments [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Reopening campuses and preventing outbreaks requires careful deliberation and the use of all scientific tools and advances available to develop plans and protocols that are appropriate to their jurisdiction [ 24 ].…”

The need for mass testing and the proper post-COVID-19 test behavior in the Philippines

“…A study from Norwich in England said that asymptomatic testing helped control transmission and that repetitive self-testing, even for those without symptoms. 2 In the Philippines, there have been more than half a million cases almost a year since the country implemented community quarantine measures in March 2020. The national government’s effort to ‘test, trace and isolate’ has not been mainly prioritized, and therefore, not fully implemented.…”

How to establish an academic SARS-CoV-2 testing laboratory

“…Our laboratory differs from other academic testing facilities that have been set up around the world 5,6 ; it has been established in collaboration with the DHSC to ensure that the results feed directly into the national Pillar 2 infrastructure, rather than being a 'stand-alone service' .…”