To ensure the continued health of ETSU and the community, the University Health Center is offering free COVID-19 testing to all students, faculty and staff.
Anyone concerned about exposure or displaying symptoms are encouraged to set an appointment with the health center as quickly as possible. While walk-ins are available, appointments help take the strain off of the center as they serve the campus.
“We do prefer that as far as when you’re concerned that you may have COVID or may have been exposed, we really are trying to get the word out there to stay put and give us a call first,” said University Health Center Manager Vanessa Smith. “Because one, that’s going to help us control the amount of people in our clinic, and two, if you’re not having a lot of symptoms.”
Once an appointment is requested, patients will do either a telehealth or virtual check-in to confirm their symptoms and document registration, insurance and identity to prepare for testing. Telehealth appointments rely on internet access so a healthcare professional and the patient can discuss recent symptoms and exposures over video call, but if internet access is unavailable, patients can also do a virtual check-in over the phone.
If a test is needed, patients will be given a time to arrive at the University Health Center and directions to the parking spot in which their test will take place. The patient then calls the center to inform them of their arrival, confirms their identity with a student ID and a nasal swab test is performed in the car.
While waiting for results, patients are instructed to quarantine themselves. Students are provided documentation regarding their recent testing and quarantine to inform instructors. No fees are required for the initial test, and a co-pay is only required for additional procedures if requested.
“Right now we go through the Path Group, and we’ve had really good experience with Path Group,” Smith said. “They’ve been able to get us test results back within two to three days, most of the time two days, which is kind of unheard of in the area. So, they’ve been doing really good with keeping up with our testing so far.”
Upon receiving a positive test, patients are instructed to self-isolate and fill out all relevant paperwork through the health center. Positive cases are reported on a need-to-know basis, and medical releases are required to connect students with services across campus.
Smith also said that anyone who has close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 is asked to schedule testing and quarantine for 14 days after their last contact. Close contact is defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as remaining within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes within two days of first symptoms or positive tests.
When asked about what students can do to ensure their own physical and mental health, Smith said students should focus on “just doing our part of what we can control. I’m staying my 6 feet distance, I’m wearing my mask, I’m washing my hands, I’m not touching my face – just things we can control to kind of keep our anxiety down as what you’re doing for your own personal responsibility.”
For more information regarding the University Health Center’s COVID-19 response, visit https://www.etsu.edu/nursing/universityhealth/
