MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University will not conduct back-to-campus COVID-19 testing for the spring semester.
Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Erin Newmeyer confirmed Friday that the university is scaling back its testing and vaccination efforts and will play more of a support role for the Monongalia County Health Department.
Newmeyer said vaccination rates currently sit at about 83% for students and 92%-93% for faculty and staff.
“Those populations who were previously required to test were only those that were unvaccinated, and that’s a very small group at this point,” Newmeyer said. “But we’re looking, obviously, to remain flexible and agile to respond as needed if things should shift and change.”
The university will continue to host a testing and vaccination site at the Rec Center, but those efforts will fall primarily to the MCHD.
“The vaccines are now so widely available … and we will always have them over at Student Health for walk-in and scheduled appointments,” Newmeyer said. “We’re just looking a little bit at creating some efficiencies, but still continuing to offer them and make it convenient for those who want to continue to get vaccines or boosters.”
Newmeyer said the university hasn’t set a specific threshold or data point that would trigger a shift in policy, explaining that the university’s health and safety efforts will “continue to watch and evaluate.”
Dr. Lee Smith, executive director and county medical officer for the health department, said that in addition to allowing continued use of the Rec Center, he anticipates WVU will also continue to assist with some disease investigation and contact tracing.
Smith said WVU has been “a great partner” over the last 20 or so months.
“West Virginia University is now moving, as of the spring semester, they’re getting out of the testing, swabbing and vaccine business and that will befall us,” Smith said. “Which, our core function is to do those things.”
