Weekly COVID Testing to Start Oct. 8; New Test Date Offered Oct. 9

Dr. Sacared Bodison, interim director of the University Health Center, sent the following email to the university community yesterday:

Testing continues to be an important tool we are using to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. As you know, we've required all students, faculty, staff and affiliates who planned to be physically on campus and students living near campus to be tested up to three times thus far: before coming to campus; upon arrival to campus; and two to three weeks into the semester. I appreciate everyone's commitment to testing, and for following 4 Maryland guidance, as it is making a difference for our campus community.

Again, anyone who is physically coming to campus as well as students who live close to campus were required to get tested again over the past three weeks. If you did not get tested, you must. Please note that you are not cleared to come to campus after Oct. 15 if you have not attested to receiving a negative COVID-19 test result since Sept. 14; the campus symptom monitoring process must indicate this. As a reminder, you must attest to your test results via return.umd.edu. Click on "Confirm Test Results." If you have not yet been on campus, but are planning to return to campus, you must submit a negative test result from a test taken within 14 days prior to your return.

This week, we will finish our last big testing event, and the initial results signal a new path forward. As always, symptomatic people and anyone who has come into close contact with a COVID-positive individual can receive testing at the University Health Center. Every Thursday, beginning Oct. 8, from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., testing will be available to our campus community on a first-come, first-serve, by-appointment basis. Additionally, next week, as a way to capture those physically on campus who did not yet get tested during our latest testing event, we will also have testing available on Friday, Oct. 9 from 9 a.m.-noon. All testing will be at Maryland Stadium until further notice.

We will use weekly testing days to test:

• Campus residents, staff or faculty living or working in particular areas on campus where we are seeing an increase in positive cases
• Any student staff or faculty member who has significant in-person interaction with students and others

Any student, staff or faculty member who has significant in-person, on-campus interaction with others must get tested once a month.

Please sign up for campus testing via return.umd.edu. You are also able to get tested off-campus. The closest site is right behind the College Park Fire Station, and other testing locations are available at coronavirus.maryland.gov. If you get tested off-campus, you must report your test results. Report a positive test result by calling the HEAL line at 301.405.4325 and a negative result at return.umd.edu. Please continue to follow 4 Maryland guidance.

We will continue to monitor the health of our campus and make adjustments to this testing protocol as needed. Please remember that you should monitor for COVID-19 symptoms daily. Completion of the online Daily Symptom Check tool is now only required on days you come to campus. On those days, you will need to confirm that you have been symptom-free for the past 14 days.

We are here to serve and support you.

Stay well, Terps,

Sacared Bodison, MD, MBA
Interim Director, University Health Center