Data Highlights
STATE-LEVEL:
The New England states are currently reviewing proposed testing plans.
Maine
has
partnered with IDEXX
to increase testing capacity. In
Massachusetts
, state officials are working to create partnerships spanning government, academia, and the private sector to quickly grow the ability to test and support patients during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
CAMPUS REPOPULATION:
Connecticut
has the most robust announced plans for repopulating its campuses.
- Residential campuses: Test all students, faculty, and student-facing staff for infection on arrival, and isolate for 14 days those testing positive; ensure availability of ample capacity to isolate infected students and quarantine close contacts; devise plan to provide food to isolated students. These institutions are looking at repopulation in mid-August to accommodate testing needs.
- Nonresidential institutions: Where the risks are similar to those of local businesses, these institutions will not need to test students, faculty, and student-facing staff upon reopening.
ONGOING TESTING:
In New England,
Connecticut
is the only state that has announced plans for ongoing testing. When serology tests become more reliable, institutions will need to determine which students are immune and no longer need to be considered vulnerable. The state recommends
against
daily temperature checks. Residential campuses will need to test students at appropriate intervals throughout the academic year, in accordance with public health guidance.
The
University System of New Hampshire
is
planning to test
all students, faculty, staff, and vendor upon return to campus and periodically thereafter.
NOTABLE INSTITUTION/SYSTEM DETAILS:
- Vermont Technical College is working with Gifford Hospital, which has a grant and can offer free nasopharyngeal testing on campus for out-of-state students.
- The University of Connecticut is aims to complete and submit its reopening plans to the state by June 30.
- Maine Maritime Academy plans to test only those who are symptomatic.
- The Community College System of New Hampshire plans to work with New Hampshire public health officials and local providers to develop a plan for testing and tracing on its campuses.
- Lasell University in Massachusetts will administer multiple tests according to state guidance, and UMass Medical School will test all employees prior to their arrival.
Wastewater Testing for COVID-19
Recently, wastewater testing has gained traction as a COVID-19 early warning system. Early leaders in this area include:
- Syracuse University: Has adopted wastewater testing as part of its reopening plans. The university plans to routinely test sewage that leaves each residence hall to spot signs of the virus before students become ill. If the testing detects a sudden spike of the virus in a dorm's sewage, Syracuse can start testing the building's residents to get a jump on a potential outbreak.
- City of Boston: Researchers from biotech startup Biobot Analytics are working with a team of experts from MIT, Harvard, and Brigham and Women's Hospital to develop a large-scale testing plan to detect community spread of COVID-19.