Voluntary COVID testing for faculty and staff continues in Spring 2021

During Spring Semester 2021, voluntary COVID-19 testing opportunities will continue for faculty and staff. Voluntary testing options are available four days each work week. Testing is free, fast and easy.  

Testing, along with healthy behaviors and practices, is important to reducing COVID-19 viral transmission and spread – thus helping to safeguard our entire community.

This mitigation testing is open to any UC employee without symptoms of COVID-19 who wants voluntarily testing in order to obtain their COVID-19 status. The testing is open to all full-time and part-time employees and is free.

Important note: Employees who have COVID-19 symptoms should notify their personal medical provider.

UC is using the highly sensitive viral test known as a PCR. PCR testing is considered the gold standard in SARS-CoV-2 detection. This test detects RNA (or genetic material) that is specific to the virus and can detect the virus within days of infection, even among those who have no symptoms.

Options for voluntary mitigation testing on campus include

• Participation in the Monday and Tuesday testing offered by Wild Health from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. in the basketball courts on the lower level of the CRC. Testing is by appointment only. Testing is free, fast and easy but available on a first-come basis.  

Participation in on-campus testing options provided by Hamilton County Test and Protect. Hamilton County Test and Protect will offer testing each week, starting the week of January 25, as follows:

• Walk-in testing on Wednesdays, from 1-5 p.m., in Stratford Heights Complex, Unit 16, 2634 Stratford Ave, Cincinnati OH 45220 (west side of Clifton Avenue). Note that while no advance registration is required for the Stratford location, advance registration is available via Test and Protect. Pre-registration via TaP does not provide a specific appointment slot but will save time in terms of on-site registration.

• Testing by appointment only on Fridays from 1-4 p.m., in UC Health's Addiction Sciences Division building (2nd floor, adjacent to Suite 201), 3131 Harvey Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45229.
  

Please note that Test and Protect will request insurance information; however, if  insurance does not cover the test, there will be no charge.

Results will be provided by Wild Health to University Health Services (“UHS”) and UC’s COVID Check. The results are maintained in the COVID Check database and will not be maintained in employees’ electronic medical records.

Employees will be notified of their results generally between 48-72 hours after the test. If the test is:

• Negative – notification will be sent by email. No further action will be required.
• Indeterminate – notification will be sent by email with a recommendation for a test repeat.
• Positive – notification by telephone call.

IMPORTANT - All employees with a positive test result are required to isolate at home for 10 days from the date of the test if they remain asymptomatic. If symptoms arise, the period of isolation may be extended by your medical provider. COVID Watch will not notify your supervisor regarding this absence or test result. Employees are required to follow all UC Human Resources policies and procedures regarding time off from work in the event they must isolate and cannot work remotely. Questions about time off from work, including sick leave, and remote work may be addressed to  Manager of Leave Administration (513-556-6951).

In addition, employees who test positive are strongly encouraged to answer the questions from COVID-19 Contact Tracers regarding persons they may have exposed (e.g., household members, or UC members closer than six feet for more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period). Please be advised that UHS is required to notify the local health department of all positive test results, and your local health department may perform additional case investigation and contact tracing.

Additional Information: For the latest information about the university’s response to COVID-19, visit uc.edu/publichealth.