28th May 2021
Dear students, parents and carers
Further to my last Covid update email to you on 21st May 2021, I am now writing with this week’s update and important information relating to the following:
- Student testing
- Reported number of positive covid cases
1. Home test kits for students (including 14-16, FE, Apprentices, Adults and Higher Education)
As lockdown eases, taking a rapid COVID-19 test twice a week, even if you do not have symptoms, will help us stay ahead of the spread of the virus, particularly as new strains appear. Around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 have no symptoms and are spreading the virus without knowing. This includes those who have had their vaccine.
Students should continue to test themselves twice a week at home on a Sunday and Wednesday evening after 6pm for the foreseeable future. It is important to keep testing going through the holidays to manage the spread of COVID-19 and we encourage students to get into the regular habit of testing themselves every 3 to 4 days (twice a week).
The result of a rapid test could be positive, negative or even void. But whatever it is, it should be reported straight away, every time. Students must report their result to NHS Test and Trace as soon as the test is completed either online or by telephone following the instructions in the booklet provided with the home test kit. Students must also share their result, either positive, negative, or VOID with the College to help with contact tracing using the link HERE. QR codes on the test kits boxes are now available and will simplify and speed up the reporting process. Please note the College reporting form has also been simplified to capture only the minimum essential information that the Government have asked us to collate. Recording all test results helps scientists stay ahead of the virus by spotting new outbreaks quickly and advising how to respond.
Reporting positive COVID results
Please also remember to complete the ‘Out of hours Notification of a POSTIVE COVID-19 test result’ form to alert us if you, a member of your household or other close contact identified through Track & Trace, receive a positive test result whilst the College is closed. This online form is available via our main website www.southdevon.ac.uk
2. Reported COVID-19 Cases: Latest data
The table below gives the most up-to-date picture of COVID-19 infections at South Devon College in all areas.
| Weekly cases: 0 (Total confirmed positive cases reported in the last week – this gives an indication of the number of current cases) |
| Total cases: 84 (A running total of positive/presumed positive cases reported to the College by students and staff since the first case was reported on Wednesday 7th October 2020) |
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your ongoing support and I hope you have a great half-term break. Unless there are some important announcements made by the Government over half-term, in which case I will email everyone accordingly, the next COVID-19 update email will be issued on Friday 11th June 2021.
Yours sincerely
Laurence Frewin
Principal and CEO
South Devon College