Our Covid response

Through research and knowledge transfer, education and community, we lead the way in the response to the pandemic. From ground breaking research detecting COVID-19 in wastewater, through training healthcare workers and holding government decisions to account.

And we support our students and local communities through the most challenging times too.

Using wastewater to track the spread of COVID-19

Middlesex has been leading innovative research to find out if a school’s sewage system gives us vital information about COVID-19 infection levels.

In a £2.4 million project, funded by the NHS Test and Trace Surveillance Testing Team, scientists are monitoring the wastewater systems in over 70 schools, looking for fragments of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.

This testing can identify potential outbreaks early, so measures can be put in place to prevent the spread of the virus. It has already given us new evidence to support the safe re-opening of schools. Results are also helping us better understand transmission from children to children and children to adults.

We are leading the study in collaboration with NHS Test and Trace’s Joint Biosecurity Centre and researchers from Cranfield University, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, University of Bath, Imperial College London, and University College London.

The contribution of our health care students

“I was possibly a little hesitant at first when I heard that third years could opt in to a temporary register to help in the COVID-19 effort. But I am working with a team on placement where, however busy the nurses are, I feel completely supported. They find time to explain, demonstrate and teach so that I will learn the skills to care for our patients. Their confidence in me has helped me see that it is a privilege to be able to do this work and care for our patients.”

Zoe Carciente, children’s nursing graduate and Nursing Times columnist

The contribution of our health care education staff

“The Middlesex University Nursing education team have been fundamental to the successful delivery of the largest vaccination programme of our time in North Central London. The team successfully delivered training to 2438 vaccinators, many of whom had never worked in the NHS or social care before, with flexibility, energy, creativity, resilience and responsiveness. We are eternally grateful to Middlesex University – we have collectively made a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of our local population.”

Sarah Needham, Deputy Chief Nurse, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

 

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