Dear Campus Community,
COVID-19 testing technology has evolved rapidly since Fall 2020. Our weekly screening testing program has enabled us to effectively interrupt chains of infection early, prevent outbreaks, and engage in in-person learning. The introduction of fast, accurate, and convenient antigen tests has made self-monitoring for COVID-19 more convenient and widely available.
Starting in the second half of November, we plan to partner with eMed, a telehealth provider, whose certified guides supervise via telehealth sessions self-administered BinaxNow tests. eMed provides results within 15 minutes via an app (Navica). As an added benefit, these results can also be used for travel, and eMed will report results to the county health department (per state requirements) and CC.
Antigen tests (not to be confused with antibody tests) detect COVID-19 infections very reliably during the infectious period, making them an excellent tool for screening testing. Their tendency not to pick up prior infections after recovery will help to reduce isolation needs. CC students who have tried out these self-administered at-home tests found them convenient to use and less unpleasant. Of course, no test is perfect. Because some false positive results are to be expected, all positive antigen test results are followed up by a molecular test at the Student Health Center. Testing protocols will remain the same and can be adjusted as the course of the pandemic requires.
eMed will provide screening testing to vaccinated students (a percentage each week), unvaccinated students (twice weekly), and unvaccinated employees. The Student Health Center will continue providing molecular Abbott ID Now tests for symptomatic COVID-19 testing, testing after exposure, and follow-up testing to positive antigen tests.
We will be in touch with more information regarding test kit distribution and the Navica app next week.
Thank you!
Andrea Bruder
Chief Public Health Advisor to the President
Mateo Muñoz
Chair, COVID-19 Policy and Implementation Committee
