UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With several students in Hastings Hall and Stone Hall in the East Halls complex recently testing positive for COVID-19, the University is — out of an abundance of caution — advising all students living in those residence halls to get tested for COVID-19 on Wednesday (March 17) or Thursday (March 18) at the walk-up testing site at nearby Pegula Ice Arena.
Walk-up testing for asymptomatic students is available at Pegula and the Hintz Family Alumni Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. University Park students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should continue to schedule testing appointments with University Health Services (UHS) via myUHS.
“We have had a few students from each of these residence halls test positive this week,” said Kelly Wolgast, director of the COVID-19 Operations Control Center. “To help us understand if the virus has spread further and to catch and isolate any additional positive cases, we are asking all students living in these locations to get tested for COVID-19, unless they have tested positive in the previous 90 days.
“We’re using rapid tests at our walk-up sites at University Park, which means students who get tested will get their results on site,” Wolgast added. “So, even if you are asymptomatic – and this goes for all students, not only those in Hastings and Stone – walk-up testing provides convenient reassurance that you are not potentially putting others at risk. It’s a judgment-free zone – you’re not asked where you’ve been or what you’ve been doing – you’re just taking the responsible step of getting tested.”
Students whose rapid test indicates a positive result will immediately take a secondary PCR test to confirm the positive result and be referred to isolation. The University’s contact tracing process will also commence at this time. Students who must isolate – whether on or off campus – will have support from the University to help them continue their studies uninterrupted, maintain their physical and mental health and stay connected to others.
Students who receive a negative result on their secondary PCR test will receive information from the University’s contact tracing team about leaving isolation. Those who receive a positive result on the secondary PCR test will complete their 10-day isolation period. More information about the support and resources provided to students in quarantine and isolation is available online at virusinfo.psu.edu.
“The virus is still prevalent almost everywhere, so we all must continue following public health guidelines to help reduce the spread on our campuses,” said Wolgast. “It’s imperative that we keep masking, physically distancing from others and avoiding large gatherings. Please, just stay with your small pod of friends this spring. Answer your phone when our contact tracers call you. The next few weeks are critical to continuing our on-campus activities through the end of the semester.”
More information on University COVID-19 testing is available online at virusinfo.psu.edu.