A new study from Public Health Scotland in collaboration with the University of Glasgow and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, published today, investigates a large outbreak of COVID-19 among students resident at university accommodation in Scotland at the start of the autumn 2020 term. It clearly describes the potential for rapid spread of COVID-19 within and between university accommodation.

A total of 1,039 student cases of COVID-19 were identified in this study between September and November 2020, with 50% associated with the student halls. Whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, combined with epidemiological information was used to provide a deep insight into this outbreak.

The study estimated that at least 11 independent introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into the student population had occurred, with four leading to large outbreaks, and with a complex picture of transmission within and between student halls. Data strongly indicated that for at least two of the four outbreaks, the virus had been imported from within Scotland, owing to a high proportion of students domiciled within Scotland.