USU Rapidly Expanding On-Campus COVID-19 Testing

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State University is the only college in the state with drive-through testing on campus for students and staff, and the school is planning to rapidly expand its testing capacities.

The goal is to get USU to the point where it can test everyone on campus once a week, and that includes creating two new walk-in test centers.

The drive-through site is primarily for students and staff who have symptoms or who have been exposed, and it will likely remain that way.

“My friend, she tested positive on Saturday, and I was with her the beginning of last week,” said student Emily Olson.

That’s why she went to the drive-through testing station Monday.

“A lot of students are careless and look like they don’t care about social distancing like they’re teenagers. They’re not going to want to stop being teenagers,” Olson said.

She believes testing everyone on campus once a week will pay off, and she’s not the only one here who feels that way.

“I do think it’s a good idea, just with the rise in cases. Especially with the rise in hospitalizations,” said student Sabrina Allen. “I think, especially as college students, lots of people don’t think it’s a very big deal, because it usually doesn’t affect us super bad.”

It’s why USU officials were already making plans to offer tests to any students who want one before they leave for Thanksgiving break.

“But of course this is going to be an ongoing thing that we’ll have to work through with the state because it will require lots of tests,” said USU spokeswoman Amanda DeRito.

She said the university’s early plans for expanded testing turned out to be good timing as the governor announced plans to test all on-campus students and staff at Utah’s universities.

“We’ll have to spread it out a little because there’s going to be a lot of testing going on,” said DeRito.

In addition to the new walk-in test sites on the main campus, walk-in centers will be added to the Eastern and Blanding campuses. It’s a major initiative.

“I think that it’s going to be really helpful,” Olson said.

USU plans to start that weekly testing Wednesday. Students and staff will be notified by email.

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