Press release: 100,000 tests by Campus Covid Screen
No. 201 - 10.12.2021
Göttingen University continues to benefit from optional service for staff and students
Göttingen University continues to benefit from its optional and free testing service available for all its students and staff. Today, staff at the Campus Covid Screen (CCS) testing centre in the Mensa Italia took the 100,000th saliva sample and sent it to the laboratory for analysis. The 100,000th person tested was Hendrik Wever, a Master's student in his third semester in agricultural sciences. The 24-year-old regularly goes to the CCS to ensure that he can attend face-to-face teaching safely: "The University’s PCR testing service is great, and in terms of organisation and procedure, it’s very easy." As a thank you for taking the tests, he received a bouquet of flowers and a voucher for the University Sports, which runs the CCS testing centres.
In order to ensure the health and safety of students and staff at the University of Göttingen in the current mode of limited attendance onsite, they have the option to get tested regularly for SARS-CoV-2 using a PCR test in the Mensa Italia or at the North Campus. The project was piloted and then was quickly up-and-running as early as November 2020. Of the 100,000 tests conducted so far, only 92 were positive, which corresponds to a rate of 0.09 per cent.
"I would like to thank all the partners and sponsors of this project for their support – and of course all our students and staff who regularly take advantage of this offer even though there is the good vaccination rate at Göttingen University," said University President Professor Metin Tolan. "By participating in the CCS project, you help us to better assess the risks during face-to-face events on campus and at the same time contribute to containing the spread of the pandemic throughout the City. I would also like to mention that CCS is not just there for people to get a free test, but to detect potential sources of infection on campus. I again appeal to everyone to follow the science and get vaccinated."
Participation in the CCS project contributes towards the safety at the face-to-face events that are currently permitted within the University. However, it does not release anyone from following the regulations of Göttingen’s Gesundheitsamt (public health office). Further information about CCS and the registration form can be found at https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/631931.html, the donation form is at www.alumni-goettingen.de/spenden/echte-begegnungen-fuer-ein-studium-des-miteinanders-1/.