HE Rapid Testing - applying behavioural insights to support student uptake in regular rapid asymptomatic testing

The January 2021 guidance sets out the expectation for all HE providers to offer: two tests to all students eligible to return, upon their return, and twice weekly asymptomatic testing to all eligible students thereafter.

LFD tests have been widely and successfully used to detect asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. The speed and convenience of the tests supports the detection of the virus in asymptomatic individuals, who would not otherwise have got tested and break chains of transmission. They are approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

DfE officials have engaged with HE providers and students in a series of Student Engagement focus groups gaining insight into strategies currently being used to increase student engagement with ongoing twice-weekly testing and whether these could be replicated and shared to further support Higher Education providers across the sector with high impact.

This small-scale exploratory piece will aim to identify behavioural barriers to students engaging with and taking part in regular LFD testing and trial a series of behavioural interventions that can later be scaled up and tested more widely.