Campus Alert

Go here if you are a summer program participant or a temporary staff member for summer programs.

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What is the difference between asymptomatic and symptomatic testing?

Asymptomatic testing is conducted weekly throughout the semester as a way to identify COVID-19 in people who are not showing any symptoms of the disease. Because you might contract the virus and transmit it to others before you ever experience symptoms, weekly asymptomatic testing may identify that you are positive and need to isolate, thus helping prevent the spread of the virus. Follow the instructions below for asymptomatic testing.

Symptomatic testing is conducted when a campus community member has any symptoms, even mild ones, of COVID-19. It is also for those who have been confirmed by contact tracing teams to have been exposed to the virus. This testing is conducted through U Health and your insurance will be billed for this testing (see exception below for HRE students). Follow the instructions below for symptomatic testing.

Asymptomatic and symptomatic testing have some specific differences with regard to how the test is scheduled and where the test is administered. See below for details.

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ASYMPTOMATIC TESTING

Asymptomatic testing is free for students, faculty and staff.

Hours of operation:

Students living in Housing & Residential Education facilities

Students living in Housing & Residential Education facilities are encouraged to be tested each week during the summer, beginning the week of April 26-30.

Testing will be done at two locations on campus: Officers Club (West Entrance) in Fort Douglas and Saltair Room in the Union. Residents should log in each week using the appointment link below. Frequently Asked Questions for HRE students can be found here.

Be sure to follow the instructions below to schedule and prepare for your test.

Students registered for in-person classes

Students visiting campus for in-person classes are expected to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing. Each Thursday throughout the semester students will be notified via their @utah.edu email accounts with information about how to schedule a test during the coming week.

Be sure to follow the instructions below to schedule and prepare for your test.

STUDENTS REGISTERED FOR ANY OTHER CLASS

Testing is available for online students who are concerned and would like to be tested but don’t meet the above criteria (symptomatic or exposed to a confirmed positive, in-person class or living on campus).

Be sure to follow the instructions below to schedule and prepare for your test.

Optional ASYMPTOMATIC COVID-19 testing FOR FACULTY AND STAFF*

Asymptomatic COVID-19 testing is available for all U of U faculty and staff who have NOT been identified as a close contact by a contact tracing team but still have concerns and would like to be tested.This testing is not mandatory but offered as part of the university’s efforts to contain and slow the spread of the virus. There are two testing locations on campus: Union Building and the Officers Club in Fort Douglas.

Be sure to follow the instructions below to schedule and prepare for your test.

Note: Availability of these tests throughout the semester will depend on supplies and laboratory processing capacity. Asymptomatic testing is free for students, faculty and staff.

 

Before Getting Tested

1. For this saliva-based PCR test it is very important that you do not eat or drink within 30 minutes prior to your test.
2. Schedule a time to be tested in a University-licensed survey.Within the survey you will be asked to provide:
   • Your University Network ID (uNID)
   • Sign the consent form
     
   • Select a testing site (If you cannot go to a site, you will be prompted to provide a reason and the survey will end)
   • Select a testing date
   • Select a testing time
   • If there are no testing times available, go back and select another day
   • Once the scheduling process is complete you will receive an email reminder of your appointment.

   Schedule an ASYMPTOMATIC test

3. Bring your U Card with you to the testing location 

Do NOT come to the testing site if you are experiencing any of these COVID-19 symptoms: 

• Cough, Shortness of Breath, or Difficulty Breathing 
• Fever or Chills 
• Muscle or Body Aches 
• Vomiting or Diarrhea
• New Loss of Taste or Smell 

 If you ARE experiencing any of the above symptoms, please call 801-587-0712 to schedule a time to be tested at an appropriate location throughout the community. 

What to Expect During the Test

• Distancing and masking will be enforced for all on site 
• You will provide a self-collected saliva sample
• If your test is returned “not detected”, you will receive your results via encrypted email to your official University email address. No further action is required.
• If your test is returned “detected”, you will also receive a phone call from the testing staff with instructions to isolate and receive a confirmatory test. 

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SYMPTOMATIC TESTING

ALL STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF

For symptomatic or confirmed exposure (via contact tracing)

University students, faculty or staff with COVID-19 symptoms or confirmed exposure should call the University of Utah health and testing hotline at 801-587-0712 or visit https://healthcare.utah.edu/coronavirus/reserve-test/ to schedule an appointment through University of Utah Health.

If you cannot easily travel to a community testing site, please schedule a test on campus at the Officer’s Club: East Room location:

1. Schedule a SYMPTOMATIC, EXPOSURE-BASED or CONFIRMATORY test

Students, faculty and staff can also visit the state’s coronavirus site at https://coronavirus.utah.gov/testing-locations/ to find additional testing locations.

U of U Health faculty and staff with COVID-19 symptoms or confirmed exposure should call work Wellness at 801-581-2227 (select option 1) before returning to work.

Note: Symptomatic tests for students living in HRE facilities are covered by the university. Symptomatic tests for non-residential students, staff and faculty should be submitted to each individual’s health insurance provider.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Testing Locations

• Fort Douglas Officer’s Club (150 S Fort Douglas Blvd Salt Lake City, UT 84113)
  • Parking: the Officer’s Club will have a moratorium on ticketing during testing hours
• Saltair Room, Olpin Student Union (200 S Central Campus Dr Salt Lake City, UT 84112)
  • The Union Building (north lot #29, HEDCO #43) will have a moratorium on ticketing during testing hours (map).

Questions / Concerns

If you have questions or concerns after reading the above details and visiting the scheduling link, we invite you to ask a staff member at one of our testing sites or e-mail campuscovidtesting@utah.edu.  (Please include your UNID and testing location if applicable.)