Moscow-based students at the University of Idaho completed another round of mandatory COVID-19 testing this month, qualifying most of them to attend classes in person as the spring semester begins.
For many, it was their third time getting swabbed at the Student Recreation Center, which Gritman Medical Center partnered with the university to facilitate.
Initial mandatory testing took place last August and additional required testing in September due to an outbreak of cases on Greek Row.
The university has tested more than 5,245 people in the latest round stretching from Jan. 1 to Jan.15, according to the university’s COVID-19 website. The mass testing uncovered 93 positive COVID-19 cases, yielding a 1.77% positivity rate among UI students and employees.
Last semester, administrators said results would be available in a 24-48 hour window, however many failed to receive results in that time frame.
Results from the last two weeks seem to be coming in much closer to the 24-48 hour time period, allowing students to attend their first few classes in person.
UI senior Sam Beets was tested for the third time at the center last Wednesday.
“Pretty nice and simple,” Beets said. “We just walk in, check in and wait in line.”
Beets explained that last semester it took far longer to receive his results, which came in a week and a half after he was swabbed.
“They’re doing pretty well tracking everyone coming into the university that may or may not have it,” Beets said. “They’ve suggested certain things that could be really good for testing in the middle of the semester, but that they haven’t gone through with.”
Beets mentioned an increase of temperature checking at building entrances as an example.
According to UI Director of Communications Jodi Walker, no significant changes have been made to COVID-19 testing protocol.
“After a semester of testing the system we have worked out the kinks,” Walker said. “The handoffs between testing, results and inputting results in our system are smoother.”
Alex Maas, a College of Agricultural and Life Sciences professor, also participated in UI’s latest mass testing process, though employees are not required to do so. Maas expressed some concern over the university’s testing policies, but believes there has been improvement since the beginning of the year.
“The fact that we are starting classes before this group of tests go through is a bit odd to me,” Maas said. “It seems that you would wait until you got a positivity rate from before starting in person.”
Even with the complications COVID-19 has brought this school year, Maas has seen students continue with a positive outlook.
“No one loves what’s happening right now, and I feel bad for first year students who think this is the college experience,” Mass said. “Overall, I would say my students have been rolling with the punches.”
For freshman Madeline Essman, it was her fourth time being tested for COVID-19.
“I think it’s good for the university so we keep low numbers,” Essman said. “I feel comfortable knowing everyone is negative in so many classes.”
Freshman Daniela Aguilar-Carranza spent much of her first year at the university in quarantine on more than one occasion, having COVID-19 once herself.
She spent roughly a month isolating at a hotel off campus after receiving a positive test result in October. Aguilar-Carranza said the university did well to accommodate her. “I’m hoping we get back to normal soon,” Aguilar-Carranza said.
For spring break, students can expect another round of mandatory testing.
“We’re watching the spread across the region as well as on our campus,” Walker said. “We’re also watching the implementation of vaccinations. Because both are changing rapidly, we will wait to make any final decisions about specifics of testing after spring break.”
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq
Zaheen
Informative article.