Register for Pre-Thanksgiving Break COVID-19 Testing

Nov. 12, 2020 

Dear Saint Louis University students, 

As we announced last week, the University will offer optional COVID-19 testing to our students prior to their leaving for Thanksgiving break. 

In response to the level of interest we received from you, and thanks to many medical, nursing, and public health students, staff and faculty volunteering their time, we will now offer 2,700 students the opportunity to get tested before heading home. Testing will take place Thursday, Nov. 19 through Monday, Nov. 23. 

A few reminders before you register:

• This test will cost $40 per student, approximately half of the University's actual cost. The fee will be added to the student’s account. Pell-eligible students will be provided a grant to cover the cost. 
• We are prioritizing those students who are returning home to at-risk loved ones, as well as those who need to be tested due to travel requirements or restrictions in their home state or country. For those of you who are not returning home to at-risk loved ones, please allow one day before registering for a testing slot. This will enable those whose household member is high risk to secure a testing slot. 
• Registration is required and is first come, first served. Walk-ins are not allowed. 
• If you register and fail to show up, you will still be charged $40 because that is a slot that could have gone to a fellow student. You will not be charged if you cancel your appointment prior to the appointment time. 
• The time blocks vary by day, so please refer to the registration link for details. As time slots fill up, they will disappear. 
• Registration closes at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18. 
• We’re using a PCR saliva test. It is accurate, quick, and easy.
• However, you must fast 30 minutes prior to testing. That means you cannot have anything to eat or drink for 30 minutes before you arrive for testing. No coffee. No gum. No smoking. You will receive email reminders about this requirement. 
• We will share your test results roughly 48-72 hours after your test. Those who test negative will get an email. Students who test positive will receive a phone call. 

It bears repeating: A negative test is not a free pass. It is simply a snapshot in time. You must continue to be mindful of the public health protocols that have gotten us this far into the semester –– even when you sit down for dinner with your loved ones this Thanksgiving. 

If you need a reminder about what a positive or negative test result means prior to Thanksgiving –– or about the different community-based testing resources available to you –– review last week’s message. 

Stay safe and healthy.

Terri Rebmann, Ph.D., RN, CIC, FAPIC
Special Assistant to the President
Director, Institute for Biosecurity
Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics
College for Public Health & Social Justice