By Adam Dutton
DMU students have shared their frustration after it was announced that the DMU Watershed Coronavirus testing site will only be open until Wednesday, December 9.
The planned closure date is in line with the Government’s student travel window, which runs from December 3 to December 9.
The Watershed testing site was selected to host the Government’s rapid testing programme in early November, and has since been testing students.
The decision to close the site on December 9 has caused some upset among DMU students, with some relying on the site in order to go home at a later date.
Zoaib Kitabi, 22, a DMU Mechanical Engineering student, said: “For me it seems silly to close it then. I know it is in line with the Government’s travel window but I won’t be going in the window.
“Due to circumstances out of my control, I can’t leave till later in the month and I was relying on the testing site to still be operating before I leave.
“If I can’t get a test and results quickly, it could ruin my Christmas plans. I don’t want to put my family in any danger over this. It’s definitely not ideal.”
Hannah Jowett, 20, a Speech and Language Therapy student, said: “For the unlucky ones who are unable to leave right away, in their designated day, it makes it tricky.
“We want quick testing and results and that is harder to get if the site is closed. It provides peace of mind.”
In a statement, DMU said: “We can confirm today that our Covid-19 testing centre at The Watershed will be open until Wednesday 9 December.
“Working together with NHS Test and Trace, we opened the centre last month and since then, thanks to your efforts, have carried out nearly 4,500 tests, with several hundred more booked in every day.”
Anyone travelling in the festive period has been heavily advised to get tested at the site before its closure.
