Date: August 24, 2020
Subject: COVID-19 Testing and Next Steps for Faculty and Staff
From: Rick Culliton
Dear colleagues,
I am writing with information about the University’s plans for COVID-19 testing.
Students, faculty, and staff will schedule their tests for COVID-19 at covidtesting.wesleyan.edu or within their WesPortal in the COVID-19 Resources bucket. Users can select a preferred date and time for testing; once a test has been booked, the user will receive an email confirming the upcoming appointment.
Wesleyan, along with more than 50 other colleges and universities, had planned to use software developed by CoVerified to assist with scheduling tests, delivering results, and more. This software is not yet ready to be used. Wesleyan will deploy CoVerified if and when we are confident that it will meet the expectations of our students, faculty, and staff.
The Testing Process
All of the testing will take place under a large tent on Andrus Field, with six-foot distancing enforced. We will have medical staff on site to assist with the testing process. The testing process involves a self-administered nasal swab that should take three to five minutes to complete. Please be patient as we expect there may be some delays in getting everyone accustomed to the process. Learn more about our testing partner, the Broad Institute.
Testing for employees began last week with the first tests given to those staff who are already working on campus on a consistent basis with high levels of interaction with students and other employees. See our Testing website for detailed information on COVID testing and a schedule of testing for all faculty and staff.
Here are the next steps for you:
- All employees, including those who will be working remotely, must read and consent to participate in COVID-19 testing on campus via WesPortal. We are asking everyone to consent in the event that a staff person working remotely needs to come to campus at a later point in the semester. After you submit your consent form, you will receive a confirmation email. Please be prepared to show the testing staff an electronic or a paper copy of this confirmation the first time you come to the testing tent.
- Update your mobile phone number in WesPortal. We need to be sure that the mobile number we have on file is correct in case you need to be contacted by someone conducting contact tracing.
- Schedule an appointment for your first test by visiting covidtesting.wesleyan.edu. You will be prompted to log in to your WesPortal. (If you are already logged in to your WesPortal, you can get to the site by clicking “Schedule COVID-19 Test” in the COVID-19 Resources bucket.) There, you can select a preferred date and time for testing. Once a test has been booked, you will receive an email confirmation of the upcoming appointment.
- The expected turnaround time of test results is 24 to 36 hours. You will be able to access your test results through a portal on the Broad Institute’s website. When your results are ready, you will receive an email containing a link to click, which will take you to a login on the Broad Institute’s website. The first time you log in, you will need to verify your local address and phone number (mobile number, if you have one). Once you complete authentication, you will set up a password and be able to access your test results.
- Any employee who tests positive for COVID-19 will be notified by case manager Rosemary Murphy of Health Services, who will begin the process of tracing any close contacts at Wesleyan. She can be reached at (860) 685-2642. The employee should stay home until medically cleared by their primary care physician and should report the illness to their supervisor, who will inform Health Services.
- Employees can find information about health care, leaves of absence, and more on the Wesleyan Coronavirus website.
We know you may have additional questions about testing. Dr. Tom McLarney and I will be hosting a Testing webinar for faculty and staff on August 26 at 11 a.m. to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Dean Rick Culliton
Dean of Students
Chair, Pandemic Planning Committee
Wesleyan University