September 7, 2020 12.48 pm This story is over 52 months old

Lincoln students to get central COVID-19 testing unit

New measures to prevent a second wave
| Photo: The Lincolnite

The University of Lincoln will host a local COVID-19 testing unit when students return in October.

Lincolnshire County Council’s director of public health Professor Derek Ward told BBC Radio Lincolnshire that government had approved the move as part of his department’s work with further and higher education providers in the city.

The exact location has not yet been confirmed and plans are still being finalised, however, council bosses said the unit will be open before the start of term.

It will be available to both University of Lincoln and Bishop Grosseteste University students.

Professor Ward said: “Students tend not to have a car and so it’s more difficult for them to get to the Showground, or other places, so we have secured that from government which is generally good news for the county.

“Earlier in the summer we put in a request to put a local testing unit in the centre of Lincoln so that the University, BGU or anyone else had something located in the centre of the city so we can increase our testing capacity, if we need it.”

It comes as universities prepare for the return of students with a focus on significantly increased online teaching, one-way systems, reduced face-to-face contact and other protective measures.

There are fears the mass migration of pupils around the country to university could spark a new wave of infections.

Many pupils already get hit by what’s known as “freshers flu” when they come into contact with new germs.

However, stricter cleaning measures and other protections are hoped to help prevent any further spread.

3,769 cases (up 50)

  • 2,743 in Lincolnshire (up from 2,705)
  • 778 in North Lincolnshire (up from 770)
  • 248 in North East Lincolnshire (up from 244)

390 deaths (up 1)

  • 267 from Lincolnshire (no change)
  • 89 from North Lincolnshire (up from 88)
  • 34 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 268 hospital deaths

  • 144 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
  • 4 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
  • 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
  • 119 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up from 118)

347,152 UK cases, 41,551 deaths