Camel COVID-19 Testing Center

What is the goal for the College’s testing strategy?

The frequency of our testing protocol, which exceeds both state and CDC guidelines, is essential to mitigating the spread of the virus on campus. The twice weekly testing will help identify people with COVID-19 before any symptoms emerge and identify individuals with COVID-19 but do not have symptoms. Regular and frequent testing will enable the College to isolate anyone testing positive from the rest of the community and immediately initiate contact tracing to identify people who were in close contact with someone who tested positive.

What types of tests will be administered?

There are four different strategies for testing that we will be administering this fall: pre-arrival, onboarding, surveillance and symptomatic. For each, we will use a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) COVID-19 test that is considered the gold standard.

Who is conducting the testing?

The College is partnering with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard to conduct the onboarding and surveillance testing. They have developed a specific PCR testing program for colleges and universities that provides results within 24 hours of receiving samples in their laboratory. The Broad sample collection process is self-administered using a shallow nasal swab and it will be an “observed” self-swab process in our testing center. You can learn more about the Broad’s efforts to support COVID-19 testing here, find out how they are helping to understand and overcome COVID-19 here and watch a video that describes their process. (Note that the video shows a person being swabbed by another person to collect the sample. At Conn, the test will be self-administered and will be observed by a trained staff/faculty member).

Who participates in testing?

Any student who is returning to campus this fall must participate in all on-campus onboarding and surveillance testing (twice weekly) for the fall semester. Students who choose to study remotely for the fall semester will not have to be tested.

If I live off-campus, do I still have to participate in testing?

Yes. All students who plan to be on campus must participate in the onboarding and twice-weekly testing for the fall.

Will faculty and staff be required to be tested throughout the semester?

During the week of Aug. 17, faculty and staff scheduled to work on campus will be tested. Then, beginning Aug. 31, faculty and staff will be tested weekly on a schedule that will be determined based on the number of days they will be on campus.

• Faculty and staff who are scheduled to work on campus 1-2 days a week will be tested once a week.
• Faculty and staff who are scheduled to work on campus in a rotation with others in their offices/departments and may only be on campus periodically will be tested once a week.
• Faculty and staff who are scheduled to work on campus three or more days a week will be tested twice a week. For twice a week testing, faculty and staff will be assigned a pair of testing days—either Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday.

For these routine tests, faculty and staff will sign up for testing time(s) using the CoVerified app.

How is testing scheduled for students?

The testing day schedule for students is based on where you live on campus. Students will use the CoVerified app to schedule a testing time that works for you on your two assigned testing days.

What happens if I miss my testing appointment?

We expect your onboarding test to take no longer than 15 minutes, and your twice-weekly surveillance tests to take approximately 7–10 minutes.

If I come from a different state,  will I be subject to mandatory quarantine upon arrival?

It is strongly recommended that you schedule a time you know you can make. If you miss your testing time and the testing center is not closed for the day, then you MUST go to the testing center and see if you can still be tested (the testing center will be open 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday). If you miss the day completely, you will go to your next test day and you will receive a warning for missing a test day. In a third instance of missing your test day during the fall semester, your access to campus will be revoked, which will include the need to vacate campus housing for the remainder of the semester. You should put your testing days and the time in your calendar in the same way you would a class or meeting.

What is the pre-arrival test?

All students are expected to get a pre-arrival test before moving into a residence hall or living in off-campus housing. The purpose of the pre-arrival testing is to identify anyone who may be positive for COVID-19 before traveling to campus, so those individuals can stay home, recover, and, if necessary, begin classes remotely. Students can schedule a test in the area in which they live during the week of Aug. 17, and need to be sure that they will receive their result ahead of their arrival day on campus the week of Aug. 24.

Students also had the opportunity to order, through the College, a testing kit that was sent the week of Aug. 10 to the address provided to the College. These tests are self-administered and the sample collection should be done the week of Aug. 17 on the specific day you were told to complete the sample collection. This day will be communicated to you in a message sent from the College during the week of Aug. 10.

Why is a pre-arrival test required?

We will have the best chance for success if we can identify those of you who may be carrying COVID-19 before you come to campus, as you arrive, in the first couple of weeks in the term, and throughout the semester. It will be important for you to limit your contact with others during the transitional period to campus, especially before arrival and in your first days on campus. This approach will allow us to be in the best position to maintain a low prevalence of COVID-19 on campus for the semester. 

What if I cannot access a test at home?

If you are unable to access a PCR test from home, you will be allowed on campus upon arrival but must remain in quarantine until you have received two negative results based on the tests administered on campus. The duration of quarantine may be longer if you are coming from a state or a country with a high prevalence of COVID-19.

What if my pre-arrival test is positive?

If your pre-arrival test result is positive, you should stay home for at least 10 days from the date of your test to recover. In addition, please be in contact with your primary care physician and also be in touch with Student Health Services so that our medical staff can clear you for arrival on campus.

What is onboarding testing?

When you arrive on campus, you will need to participate in onboarding testing. Please note that you will need to wear your mask at all times and maintain a six-foot distance from others. For onboarding testing, your first stop will be our testing center located in the Athletic Center, which will have three stations:

1. An outdoor station where you will blow your nose.
2. A station in Dayton Arena where you will register and receive your test kit with a personalized label.
3. A station in Dayton Arena where you will be observed while self-swabbing and sealing your sample. You will then drop the sample in a basket and leave the testing center. See instructions detailed in this document from the Broad Institute on how to collect an observed nasal swab sample.

Once testing is completed, you can pick up your key and ID and begin moving in. After this process, you will remain in your room in onboarding quarantine.

What is onboarding quarantine?

We will be instituting an onboarding quarantine as we bring you back to campus, because it will help the College have a better understanding of the health of the population as we welcome people from all over the country and world back to our campus. The duration of the quarantine may vary depending on people’s individual circumstances, including where they are traveling from and the mode of travel to campus. The parameters for onboarding quarantine may also be influenced by the Governor's executive orders and additional state guidance.

During onboarding quarantine, you will be able to do the following:

• Go to a dining services location to pick up a carry-out meal
• Retrieve a package at a designated pick-up location on campus 
• Go to the testing center to continue your testing regimen
• Go to Student Health Services
• Use a laundry room in your building
• Use the assigned restroom on your floor in your building
• Go for a walk or run on campus property (you may walk in the Arboretum)   

When outside of your room, you must wear a face mask or covering and maintain at least a six foot distance from others. Moving about the campus must be done alone and contact with others in person should be minimized. You will also be able to participate in campus programs and activities virtually. We will have a range of activities for you to engage in.

If I’m living off-campus, do I have to participate in onboarding quarantine after my test?

This same level of quarantine is expected for students who are commuting to campus from home and living off-campus in rental properties. Students living off-campus must remain in their home or rental property during onboarding quarantine with the exception of the following:

• At the Conn College campus:  
• Go to a dining services location to pick up a carry-out meal (if you have a meal plan)
• Go to the package pick-up location on campus to retrieve a package 
• Go to the testing center to continue with your testing regimen
• You may also go for a walk or run in your neighborhood where your rental property or home is located. 

When outside of your rental property or home, you must wear a face mask or covering and maintain at least a six foot distance from others. Moving about must be done by oneself and contact with others in person should be minimized. During this period of time you may not go to stores, restaurants or other public spaces. This is critically important as we work to protect the greater New London region during this transition period.

What is surveillance testing?

Surveillance testing means that all students will be tested twice each week. Students will receive an assigned pair of testing days—either Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday.  Everyone who is being tested will be asked to download the CoVerified app, which provides easy access to information about testing and allows you to schedule a testing time that works for you on your two assigned testing days. Information on how to access the app will be forthcoming.

Do I have to pay for onboarding and surveillance tests?

All of the costs associated with onboard and surveillance testing will be covered by the College.

What is symptomatic testing?

If you are not feeling well, or suspect you may have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 at any time while living on or off campus, you will be expected to contact Student Health Services. The staff in Student Health Services will be able to test symptomatic students for COVID-19. Depending on the symptoms and circumstances, students may be placed in isolation housing on campus, and contact tracing may be initiated while test results are being analyzed.

Will symptomatic tests be covered by the College?

This testing will be billed to insurance if students are on the College’s plan or to families to submit to their own insurance plans.

What do I do if I don’t feel well and think I have COVID-19?

Any student who feels unwell and thinks they may have symptoms of COVID-19 should remain in their room and contact Student Health Services immediately. .

What happens if I test positive for COVID-19?

The College has designated isolation rooms for students living on campus who test positive for COVID-19. Students can choose to go to isolation housing or return home to recover if that is a possibility. The isolation spaces will be located in River Ridge and Winchester Houses. Students in isolation will be provided meals from the dining halls and will be monitored by medical staff using telehealth. Students will be supported and cared for until a return to day-to-day routine is authorized under medical and public health guidance.