Despite University of Idaho classes having begun Monday, a number of students remain untested for COVID-19 or continue to await results. Students must have a negative test result to attend classes in person, but UI has received fewer test results than planned.
According to an Aug. 11 email sent by UI Special Assistant to the President Toni Broyles, the university aimed to test over 10,000 people.
As of Aug. 26, tests are still coming in. UI Director of Communications Jodi Walker said the university has between 7,500 and 8,000 completed results with around 1% coming back positive.
Originally, testing was expected to end Monday, but testing appointments have been made available through Wednesday to accommodate students arriving later.
“There were some students that couldn’t come back earlier for whatever reason,” Walker said. “But it looks like we got most of them through.”
However, Walker said the lack of results is not a fault of testing.
“We have never (gone over) capacity for testing,” Walker said. “The lab and the university are not behind on testing, we can’t test people if they don’t sign up and show up to test.”
Walker said students either signed up for testing this week or are not yet on campus, . The UI testing center has so far never had a day where all time slots were filled, she added.
As an example, roughly 550 students were swabbed at the on-campus site on Tuesday.
The university ensured testing was available as different groups of students returned to campus, including fraternity and sorority life students and marching band participants.
Even though testing was originally limited to appointments only, Walker said walk-in testing was made available as well.
As mentioned in earlier memos from UI President C. Scott Green, the analysis lab was meant to provide results 24-48 hours after students or employees were tested. However, people have been receiving results far later.
Freshman Emily Robertson was tested last Friday. She got her results barely in time to attend classes in person Monday.
“Results came back later than I thought,” Robertson said. “Otherwise, it was pretty smooth.”
Freshman Alyssa Hamburger was tested last Thursday, before her scheduled time to move into university housing. She received her results in two days. While it took longer to receive her results than she expected, she said the turnaround time seemed fast compared to other people. Hamburger’s roommate, tested only one day later, received her results as classes began Monday.
“It was a really streamlined process,” Hamburger said. “The people who did the tests seemed experienced doing it, so it went pretty well.” Walker said over 95% of test results have been received and university employees have been trying to return results faster.
Swabs from the testing site are not received at the lab in the same order they were taken. This means students tested earlier in the day may receive results later than students tested later in the day, although this isn’t always the case. Regardless, students have still been receiving results days later than expected.
UI students on the social media platform Wildfire also reported late results. Despite being tested Friday, some received results after classes began. Others are are still waiting for results.
Despite classes being in session, Walker did not know how many students are ineligible to attend in-person class. Students ineligible to attend in-person classes may have tested positive for COVID-19, may be waiting to receive COVID-19 test results or may have not yet taken a COVID-19 test. Once or twice per day, professors are sent a list of students ineligible to attend classes.“Students and their faculty are working together to make sure those students that are not yet eligible to be in person are participating,” Walker said.
Faculty are expected to pull aside ineligible students if they show up to class, requesting they participate from home instead. Students may be sent to the Dean of Students Office to discuss their eligibility status. Work study students have been hired to help faculty within the classroom, Walker said.
After these lines of defense, it is up to the students.
“When it comes to a large class with 100 people, it can be hard to track,” Walker said. “I certainly hope students can be honest, and I don’t have any reason to think they are not.”
After the on-campus testing site closes this Wednesday, testing will be available at Gritman Medical Center’s Martin Wellness Center. UI’s Parking and Transportation Services has arranged to shuttle those who need to be tested to the center this Thursday and Friday.
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq