UChicago COVID-19 Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program
To: Students living off campus Autumn Quarter and all Faculty, Other Academic Appointees, Postdoctoral Researchers, and staff
From: Ka Yee C. Lee, Provost, and Katie Callow-Wright, Executive Vice President of the University and Chief of Staff in the Office of the President
Subject: UChicago COVID-19 Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program
Date: September 9, 2020
From: Ka Yee C. Lee, Provost, and Katie Callow-Wright, Executive Vice President of the University and Chief of Staff in the Office of the President
Subject: UChicago COVID-19 Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program
Date: September 9, 2020
The University of Chicago is launching a three-part COVID-19 testing program for Autumn Quarter, designed to track both symptomatic and asymptomatic infection and help limit the impact of COVID-19 on our campus. This testing approach is based on guidance from the University of Chicago Medicine and other public health experts and includes:
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Mandatory Surveillance Testing – required weekly testing for all those living in University housing as well as in-season varsity student-athletes who live off-campus
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Voluntary Surveillance Testing – weekly screening for approximately 5,000 students, instructors, researchers, and staff who will regularly be on campus and request to, and are accepted to, participate. This program provides an important tool for monitoring the incidence of COVID-19 in the general on-campus population
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Symptomatic Testing – mandatory for those with symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive
Today we would like to share more information, including application instructions, about the Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program.
The weekly Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program will begin September 28 and be held at two central locations on the Hyde Park campus:
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Rosenwald Hall, 1101 E. 58th Street, Suite 100 (at University Avenue)
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950 E. 61st Street (formerly known as the Woodlawn Social Services Center (WSSC), lobby at Ellis Avenue)
The University of Chicago Medicine will administer the weekly testing at no expense to participants. The test will be a nasal swab test conducted by a trained medical assistant and should take less than 10 minutes. Participants will receive their results typically within 48 hours.
If you would like to apply to be part of the Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program, you must be a University student, faculty member, other academic appointee, postdoctoral researcher, or staff member who:
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Will regularly be on the Hyde Park campus; and
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Can commit to weekly testing for the duration of the academic year; and
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Is NOT a resident of University housing during Autumn Quarter or an in-season athlete who lives off-campus. (Those groups are part of the University’s Mandatory Surveillance Testing Program and will receive more information soon.)
If you meet these criteria, follow the steps below by 5 p.m. CDT on Saturday, September 12, to be considered for the program. Space is limited, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible if you are eligible and want to participate. The 5,000 spots available are intended to be representative of the full on-campus population. In selecting participants we will take into account a number of factors, including how often prospective participants expect to be on campus.
More information and frequently asked questions about the University’s COVID-19 testing program are available on the UChicago Forward website.
Our testing program, combined with our contact tracing and treatment measures and individual health and safety requirements, are important measures to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health. Thank you for your continued commitment to contributing to a successful Autumn Quarter.
Steps for the screening process:
(Students under age 18 will need their legal guardian to sign their consent form and HIPAA authorization to complete registration.)
(Students under age 18 will need their legal guardian to sign their consent form and HIPAA authorization to complete registration.)
Step 1: Go to this page [expired link removed] to complete a screening questionnaire to determine if you are eligible for the program. If you are, you will be directed to the next step.
Step 2: If you are confirmed eligible to apply, you will continue your application with your name, date of birth, University affiliation (student/non-student) and select up to five preferred testing day(s) and time slot(s).
Step 3: Next, you will need to digitally sign a consent form and HIPAA authorization to release your testing results to the University and UCM. You will need your UChicago ID number for this process.
Step 4: Once complete, you should receive a copy of your signed consent form and HIPAA authorization by email immediately.
Step 5: If you are accepted into the program, you will receive an email in late September to register for MyChart, a medical patient portal. Participants must activate their MyChart account to see their scheduled testing date and time slot, along with additional details about your test. MyChart is also where you will locate your results.
Step 6: Participants should arrive at testing site with their UChicago ID. You will not need your insurance information. The test is free to participants; all costs will be covered by the University.
Step 2: If you are confirmed eligible to apply, you will continue your application with your name, date of birth, University affiliation (student/non-student) and select up to five preferred testing day(s) and time slot(s).
Step 3: Next, you will need to digitally sign a consent form and HIPAA authorization to release your testing results to the University and UCM. You will need your UChicago ID number for this process.
Step 4: Once complete, you should receive a copy of your signed consent form and HIPAA authorization by email immediately.
Step 5: If you are accepted into the program, you will receive an email in late September to register for MyChart, a medical patient portal. Participants must activate their MyChart account to see their scheduled testing date and time slot, along with additional details about your test. MyChart is also where you will locate your results.
Step 6: Participants should arrive at testing site with their UChicago ID. You will not need your insurance information. The test is free to participants; all costs will be covered by the University.
If you are not accepted into the program, you will be notified by email in the coming weeks.
Keywords:
Policy and Administration
COVID-19