MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University sent a detailed email to its students, faculty and staff Monday to provide additional guidance on COVID-19 testing requirements for the upcoming fall semester.
The university reiterated that students, faculty and staff who have received their COVID-19 vaccines and verified their vaccination status with WVU will not be subject to required COVID-19 testing at the start of the fall semester.
Individuals who are fully vaccinated and have verified their status with the university will also be exempt from random sample testing throughout the semester.
Students, faculty and staff present on campus this fall who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have not verified their vaccination status by Sunday, Aug. 1 will have to submit a valid COVID-19 test result.
However, students, faculty and staff who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days do not need to provide a test result to WVU. They must contact WVU Shared Services at 304-293-6006 and provide proof of their positive test result to be exempt from testing.
Rapid antigen test results will not be accepted by the university; individuals must submit live-virus reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results dated after Aug. 1.
Results should be obtained by the university prior to move-in. The university urges anyone with a positive test result to immediately begin isolation and notify WVU Shared Services.
A printed copy of a negative test result must be delivered to WVU within 48 hours of when the individual arrives on campus at one of the following drop-off locations:
- Aug. 2 – 17: College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Room 104
- Aug. 12 – 20: Mountainlair, Greenbrier Room
- Aug. 9 – 20: Health Sciences, near Pylons
Individuals will be asked to provide their Mountaineer Card and/or employee number when dropping off test results.
“Students and employees who fail to comply with COVID-19 testing requirements may be subject to discipline in accordance with the University’s policies and procedures,” WVU wrote.
WVU will conduct weekly random sample testing among certain groups of students, faculty and staff who are on campus and have not been vaccinated or verified their vaccination status. Individuals will be identified for testing regardless of whether they have a known exposure or is showing symptoms of COVID-19. Certain groups may be asked to undergo testing weekly based on their vaccination status and potential exposure to COVID-19.
Additionally, WVU will continue to partner with the Monongalia County Health Department (MCHD) to hold free, optional COVID-19 community testing at the Student Recreation Center during the fall semester. This testing is open to WVU students, employees and residents of Monongalia County.
As of Aug. 2, community testing will take place from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. Wednesdays . No appointment is necessary and free parking will be available in short term lots 4 and 9.
“Individuals who wish to be tested must bring identification (a driver’s license or proof of address) to the testing site. Face masks and physical distancing are required,” the university said.
The university urges students, faculty and staff who have not already done so to verify their COVID-19 vaccination status with the university prior to the Aug. 1 deadline. If one receives a vaccine later in the semester, they should update their status accordingly.
The university said that those who are not fully vaccinated or have not verified their vaccination status by Aug. 1 must do the following, in addition to participating in required COVID-19 testing at the beginning of the semester:
- Comply with random sample testing until they become fully vaccinated.
- Quarantine for at least 14 days following close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Obtain testing if symptoms develop.
- Quarantine for five days following out-of-state travel.
- Wear a mask indoors and when outdoors around others.
“Thank you for doing your part to make our campus safer by verifying your vaccination status and complying with the University’s testing requirements,” WVU said.
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