Scheduling Your Mandatory COVID-19 Screening Appointment

Last week, Idaho State University announced the implementation of a mandatory COVID-19 screening program for all students, faculty, and staff with a physical presence on campus. This program will require any member of the Idaho State community who spends time on campus, including outreach centers, to undergo two non-invasive, saliva-based screenings within a five- to seven-day period.

The launch of this program does not mean that all employees are required to return to on-campus work in early January. We anticipate a continued blend of skeleton crews, remote work, and on-campus work throughout much of the spring semester, in accordance with the University’s operational level. This program will screen for asymptomatic cases, so you do not need to wait to receive a negative result before resuming on-campus activities.

Employees with COVID-19 symptoms or exposure should not participate in this screening process. These individuals should use the self-report form and self-isolate.

On Monday, January 4, you will receive an email to schedule your first of two COVID-19 screening appointments.

You will select a date and time between January 6 and January 13 to visit an on-campus screening location to provide a saliva sample. In Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and Meridian, there will be both walk-up and drive-through screening options. Individuals in Twin Falls and Anchorage, Alaska will receive email instructions specific to their screening process.

The entire screening process should take less than five minutes, and results are expected to be returned in 24-48 hours. After your screening appointment, you may immediately return to work or class and are still expected to follow all existing COVID-19 precautions. If your results are positive, the University COVID-19 Health Team will work with you directly to provide further instructions for self-isolation, contact tracing, and any follow-up medical care.

On January 4, you will receive an email to schedule your first screening appointment.

Select a date, time, and location that works with your schedule.

At your scheduled time, visit the on-campus screening location to provide a saliva sample.

You may immediately return to your on-campus activities.

Results will be available in 24-48 hours.

You will receive a reminder email to schedule your second screening appointment.

What is the difference between a COVID-19 screen and test?

Screening

Idaho State’s screening program is for people who have no symptoms and no known COVID-19 exposure. This is done to identify individuals who may be asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers, so we can take precautions to limit the spread to others.

Testing

COVID-19 testing is designed for those who are symptomatic or have a known exposure to COVID-19. If you fall in this category, call the University Health Center at (208) 282-2330 for testing information AND fill out the online self-report form.

Accessibility Accommodations

The University is dedicated to creating an accessible environment for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities and will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws. If you need accessibility accommodations in order to participate in Idaho State’s COVID-19 screening program, you will have an opportunity to make a request. Additional details about the accommodation request process will be provided in January.

Why is the University requiring the COVID-19 return-to-campus screening program?

The return-to-campus screening program for asymptomatic individuals is being implemented to support in-person instruction and help keep the campus community as safe as possible. The program was created based on carefully reviewed effective evidence-based strategies that mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus. While a screening program cannot fully eliminate the risk of COVID-19 on our campus, it is a valuable tool for managing our campus response. This screening program is one piece of our COVID-19 safety protocols and does not replace public health guidelines (face coverings, physical distancing, frequent handwashing, etc.).

Return-to-Campus Screening Exemptions

Some faculty, staff, and students may be exempt from participating in the COVID-19 screening program, based on the circumstances outlined below. If any of these exemptions apply to your personal situation, you will have an opportunity to complete an online process requesting your exemption.

Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 by PCR or antigen AND provide documentation of the test results are exempt from COVID-19 screening for 90 days following their positive test date.

Individuals may defer the screening for up to two weeks if they are:

Not feeling well for a reason other than suspected COVID-19, such as recovering from surgery, flu, strep throat, etc., so long as individuals will not be physically on-campus during this timeframe.
Not available due to vacation, travel, or other time off
Currently in quarantine as a close contact of someone with COVID-19

Individuals may be exempt from the screening program if they:

Are regularly screened for COVID-19 for employment or student experiences outside of the University
Follow established procedure for requesting a religious exemption from participation in the screening process
Are employees who work entirely remotely and do not have physical interaction with other campus community members
Are students who are attending classes entirely distance-based, and do not physically interact with other campus community members or on-campus services
Have received a full course of an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine

This screening program also extends to University contractors and affiliates with regular on-campus presence of more than 15 minutes on more than two consecutive days and/or individuals with regular on-campus contact with faculty, staff, or students.

Additional FAQs

A list of FAQs has been compiled to educate the campus about Idaho State’s mandatory COVID-19 screening program. If you have additional questions after reviewing the online information, please send an email to covid@health.isu.edu or call (208) 282-2705.

A similar email communication was also sent to all Idaho State students.

This email was sent to Idaho State University faculty and staff.

Send comments, feedback, and questions to communications@isu.edu.

View this email as a webpage.