SAMBA II Testing Machine

At the beginning of October,  School purchased a SAMBA II Covid-19 testing machine to help further protect our community during the current pandemic. By investing in a SAMBA II testing machine, pupils have been able to safely return to lessons at a much quicker rate, safe in the knowledge that they have received a negative test.

If a pupil exhibits symptoms of Covid-19, they are required to isolate along with their ‘household’ which is currently defined as their dormitory. In September, School used a private testing company which took up to 48 hours to return test results. With these times set to increase due to the national rise in demand for testing, the School discussed the possibility of purchasing a testing machine with Public Health England. The SAMBA II testing machine returns a test in 90 minutes, minimising the time the girls spend in remote lessons whilst isolating.

There have been several regulatory hurdles to overcome with the introduction of the SAMBA II but we are now fully operating the machine from the Health Centre on site. Our Health Centre nurses have been trained in the use of the machine, and we are delighted to be successfully carrying out the tests, with no positive results to date. Thank you to Laura Chandler and her team for their hard work over the last few months.

The Wycombe Abbey parent community have been very supportive of the Covid-19 measures put in place since September. Over 20 families have been in touch, kindly offering to support the School to purchase the SAMBA II machine.

Mr Mackenzie Crooks, Wycombe Abbey Bursar, said: “I would like to record my thanks for the tremendous generosity of a number of parents who contributed to the purchase of the SAMBA II machine”.

Thank you to all of the girls, staff and parents for their support throughout the first half-term, adapting to the new measures in place to keep our community safe. We hope that the machine continues to positively impact and protect all of our pupils and their learning.