By Amoni Lewis
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY- The federal government recently began providing LU with BinaxNOW rapid-COVID tests to attack outbreaks on college campuses. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently began shipping over 500,000 rapid coronavirus tests to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) back in October.
“We began to administer tests the week before the university switched to online classes last semester,” said Director of Student Health and Counseling Services Leasa Weghorst. “We have a standing order from our off-site medical director to test students who present symptoms.”
All tests are administered in Thompkins Health Center and take 15 minutes to obtain results.
“Students who are experiencing COVID-related symptoms should call Thompkins Health Center to talk with myself or nurse Kirby,” Weghorst said. “We will do a phone assessment and then instruct the student in the process for testing or other follow-up care.”
There isn’t a limit to the number of times a student can be tested. Weghorst thinks the tests will help slow COVID cases on campus.
“The tests are part of an overall strategy for reducing the spread of the virus on campus,” Weghorst said. “The earlier we can detect infected students and isolate them from the rest of the campus population, the lower our transmission rates will be.”
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