OU To Expand COVID-19 Testing For Students Living On Campus

The University of Oklahoma will begin testing randomly selected residential students for COVID-19 on Monday, to better pinpoint if and where the coronavirus is on campus.

Monday, September 21st 2020, 4:43 am



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The University of Oklahoma will begin testing randomly selected residential students for COVID-19 on Monday, to better pinpoint if and where the coronavirus is on campus.

“By testing a representative sample of students who are asymptomatic, we can better pinpoint the presence of the virus and limit its transmission,” said OU Medical Center Chief COVID Officer, Dr. Dale Bratzler. “Combined with our existing protocols, the expansion of our surveillance testing adds yet another layer to the university’s broad strategy to curb the spread of the virus.”

Students who live on campus will be given a self-administered nasal swab test from at 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

If students test positive, OU said they will be asked to self-isolate while the university performs contact tracing.

Students are expected to get their results within 24-48 hours.

The university said around 25% of students living on campus already received an email on how to schedule an appointment.

Some students believe this is a step in the right direction.

“I think in general whenever we do more testing it’s important, especially with the freshman dorms, because it gives a sense for both the state and the university of how it’s spreading and such,” said OU Student Chris Fisher.

Others said they aren’t in favor of more testing.

“I think it’s a little unnecessary,” said Liv Walbeck, “Because so many people, at least I know of in my dorm, have already had it and have already gone through the quarantine process.”

Students who already tested positive during pre-arrival testing do not have to participate.

For more information on OU’s COVID-19 response, click here.

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