Loughborough University revealed today on Twitter that they have launched a new webpage detailing the number of COVID-19 cases detected at the Loughborough Campus. The figures have been pulled from their internal ‘Connect and Protect’ service.
The figures are presented in terms of ‘On Campus’ New and Total, ‘Off-Campus’ New and Total, and ‘Total’ New and Overall figures, presumably based on where the positively tested person lives.
The latest figures posted reveal that there are currently 8 cases on campus and 18 cases off-campus, totaling 26 overall cases for Loughborough University.
The webpage has figures from 2nd October – 5th October (inclusive), but states that it will be updated “twice a week, every Tuesday and Friday”.
Many replies on Twitter thanked the University for providing these details, however, one questioned the reliability of the data as it is not clear whether the reported figures are being offset with negative test results once those tested positive have recovered. If not, this will result in a total number of cases overall rather than at any given time.
Are the “new” cases all new or are they offset with negative tests. If only new, these numbers will never go dow
— Vote for Jane – Loughborough/villages (@Garendon13) October 7, 2020
We at LSU Media have been updating students regularly of the COVID-19 cases in the Loughborough area since 13th September on all social media channels and our website using Public Health England data. Our figures have a 4-day delay in reporting due to PHE’s methods but show the number of cases reporting over the past 7 days.
The University’s data is collected through Connect and Protect, a service that collects data from both staff and students, however, it does rely on the self-reporting of those who show coronavirus symptoms. The university states that it “has been developed to support the national Test and Trace system.”
The service asks those showing symptoms to complete a form, after which they will receive a phone call from the University’s support team to confirm their submission and provide details of who they have been in contact with for their replication of the NHS Test and Trace Service. Those that have begun the ‘Connect and Protect’ process should also update the team once they have received a test result, whether it is positive or negative.
Once the ‘Connect and Protect’ service have been notified of a positive test result, the service will then contact those identified as close contacts, keeping the positively tested person anonymous. This system covers the previous 2 days before symptoms began in line with the NHS system. Those who test positive will also likely be contacted by the NHS Test and Trace Service.
- VICE CHANCELLOR WARNS OF SPREAD: 14-day ban from campus if in breach of rules
- FLATS IN LOCKDOWN: Exclusive Interview with first household to lockdown
- COVID COOKING: Make some quarantine cookies in your spare time!
- BACK TO THE BUBBLE: The University COO tells students to stay safe on campus
