Why arent the majority of students NOT getting a test

[Bathroom12345]

I am staggered that students are bleating that they are not going to have a test before going home and effectively mix with elderly relatives I have a DS who is having a test next week. There is a student on SKY NEWS saying that he doesnt want to isolate hence he wont take the test and 50% of his friends wont either.

I think mass testing is a great idea and yet its offered and the students the one element of the population who I thought would take it without question are saying - nah - cannot be bothered!

Have I missed something here.

Some will have already had it.
Maybe they have younger school age siblings so its pointless.

Speaking for my DS: he isn't keen on a test facility that aims to funnel several thousand students, all (presumbly) breathing their nasty little germs everywhere, through one smallish room in the course of a few days.

Anyone know how to persuade him he's very unlikely to catch it from the test venue?

My sample of 3 ( my DD's and dp's dd) have all been tested once this week and I think there's a second test on departure day (different universities)

Oh and about 20% live at home so no point in taking one, then there's the ones staying over the holidays

We are bribing ours with a cup of tea and a biscuit afterwards if they get the tests. I was surprised that this was necessary, I would have hoped that they would see the benefits. Bright Young Minds and all that.

I don't have actual uptake figures though.

@movingonup20

My sample of 3 ( my DD's and dp's dd) have all been tested once this week and I think there's a second test on departure day (different universities)

Yes, 2 tests a minimum 3 days apart. Not sure what potential capacity is.

If they've had covid in the last 90 days, then the govt. guidelines say not to test unless there are symptoms, due to false positives. At my daughter's uni many students are falling into this category.

Ahhhh ok. I didn't realise. I've not looked at the news for a while as I am somewhat bored of it. Covid is everywhere I work so not much I can do about anything.

Fair enough well, students be students. Not all 18 year olds are sensible. I certainly wasn't

I’d say SOME aren’t getting tested for the same reason that hundreds were having multiple huge illegal gatherings in and outside halls on campus and for the same reason that they were trashing accommodation and tearing down fences put up to protect them from off campus people entering accommodation.......because they are selfish, entitled and outraged at the mere suggestion of being told how to behave!

Lots of people have reasons

I’m my workplace we are offered weekly tests and only 40% uptake

don't want to isolate and miss going home
they think it's pointless as they might get it on the journey home
they aren't going home
they have already had it so don't see the point
flatmates have already had it so they assume they've already had it
parents aren't old (late 30's, 40's) so aren't really at huge risk
parents are out doing jobs like teaching that put them at risk anyway
don't care
testing info is lost in the barrage of emails about absolute shite that students get every day

My niece is coming to us for the Christmas holidays. Her parents live abroad so she can't go to them.

She is staying at university until 16 December because she has lectures and several important assessments due before then. We have 3 small children and no quiet study space for her, so it makes a lot more sense for her to stay in her university house to do her assessments. However, her university are only offering tests this week, so she won't be able to be tested.

She won't be mixing with any elderly relatives - just me and DH (both teachers), and our DC who are all at school or nursery. Out of all of us, she seems the least likely to have covid!

There are also students who

• live at home anyway
• are staying at university over Christmas
• have had covid within the last 90 days so have been told not to get a test
• booked flights before the 'travel window' was announced, some of whom will get other tests before flying anyway

Not sure your data is very valid, with "one student interviewed on Sky who 'guessed' only 1/2 the people he knows are having it", and your one ds.

Don't forget that reporters will interview dozens of people until they get people replying with the response that suits their story.

Plus, not all students are going home to 'vulnerable people'. They make their own judgements same as everyone else. Looking at risk where they are, risk at home, etc.
Too many people seem to think all students are living in Tier 3, partying wldely, then all of them going home with the virus, to vulnerable people. It's just not the case.

The lateral flow tests are not reliable, especially when not administered by medically trained staff.

Student studying subject that has statistical component: “You might as well toss a coin”.

They want to come home early and isolate before seeing grandparents at Christmas.

It’s not the false positives that are the biggest problem (though they are a problem) it’s the false negatives: between 25 & 50% depending on whether the staff administering the test are medically trained.

To be fair he could be negative at time of test than catch it on the train on the way home though

Read today that
the rapid tests miss 50% of positive cases compared to standard tests.

So add that to the low uptake you mention, people interpreting bubbles in creative ways over Xmas and youngsters not social distancing from their mates back home.

January is going to be carnage. Buckle up.