Today@Sam Article
SHSU Launches COVID-19 Testing Kiosk
Nov 2, 2020
SHSU Media Contact: Emily Binetti
Sam Houston State University now offers an additional option for free COVID-19 testing. The university has partnered with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Curative Labs Inc. to bring free COVID-19 self-collected testing to the Huntsville campus for students, faculty and staff.
Beginning this week, a walk-up testing kiosk will open on campus to administer tests. Located outside of the Lowman Student Center in the Bearkat Mall, testing at the kiosk will be available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“The booth is operated by Curative’s lab staff. They will demonstrate the testing process with each person, observe the sample collection and answer any questions,” said Erica Bumpurs, SHSU Student Health Center director.
According to Bumpurs, each test takes approximately four minutes. The saliva-based-PCR test is collected with an oral swab. Results take approximately 24 to 48 hours and are sent to the email address provided in the registration process.
“Since this is not a rapid test, it must go out to a lab to be processed,” she said.
Funded by the State of Texas Dept. of Emergency Operations, self-collected COVID-19 kiosk testing provides a great avenue to increase screening testing at no cost to the university.
“One way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus is to identify cases and have them properly isolate or quarantine, so others do not get infected,” Bumpurs said. “This virus presents itself in many different ways - making it difficult to know if you have COVID-19 or another type of virus or illness. The more often we identify COVID-19, the more successful our mitigation efforts will be in slowing the spread of the virus on campus.”
Appointments are encouraged, but not required. If you do not schedule a test in advance, you must bring a cell phone or digital device to complete the online registration process at the kiosk. Faculty, staff and students can pre-register for an appointment. A current BearkatOne card is required for testing. Testing is not recommended for those who have had a positive test within the last 90 days.
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