FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Fairmont State University will begin its spring semester COVID-19 surveillance testing Monday, February 1. The testing initiative will continue through the remainder of the semester.
Ten percent of the on-campus student population will be selected for the self-administered, saliva-based testing program on a weekly basis.
Students will be selected and tested for COVID-19, regardless of whether they have a known exposure. Random selection allows the University to make inferences about the level of spread within the campus population and identify asymptomatic cases for quarantine.
The purpose of the effort is to monitor and address real-time trends in order to make timely decisions on intervention and response.
As directed by the Office of the Governor and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, faculty and staff will not be included in the spring semester surveillance testing program. The University will continue to encourage employees to utilize the free testing opportunities offered within the community or contact their primary care physician should they need to be tested for COVID-19.
The University COVID task force will continue to process COVID test results as they are received and actively monitor all cases on campus with the assistance of the Marion County Health Department. Individuals testing positive during both on and off-campus testing continue to be quarantined.