Voluntary surveillance testing will be available to students living in the residence halls and Jardine Apartments beginning this week as part of the university’s expansion of asymptomatic testing.
Faculty and staff could also qualify for asymptomatic testing.
The goals of testing are to show the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus and identify asymptomatic individuals to follow up with isolation protocols and contact tracing, a press release said.
Every week, about 10 percent of the students living in residence halls will receive an email notifying them about their selection. Students will participate voluntarily in the testing.
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“We strongly encourage students to consider participation in this testing program,” Lafene Health Center medical director Dr. Kyle Goerl said in a press release. “This strategy will be more accurate and effective if we have a higher rate of participation. We want every Wildcat to be a Wellcat.”
The test includes a self-administered nasal swab. Dr. Goerl said this type of test is quick and has less discomfort than the deep nasal swab. It is also still “accurate,” he said.
While this is currently limited to on-campus residents, more groups of students will be invited to participate in surveillance testing in the future.
K-State has yet to release the gating criteria or the metrics it plans to use to determine the viability of maintaining face-to-face operations yet. Jeff Morris, vice president for communications and marketing, said those data points could be released this week.
To get tested for COVID-19 at Lafene, call your primary care provider or the health center to discuss whether you qualify for a test. Appointments may be necessary.
