By Heart of Illinois ABC
NORMAL – Illinois State University is offering free COVID-19 testing for its employees starting January 11.
The university revealed in its weekly update that testing will be available for asymptomatic workers and students in the parking lot between Watterson Towers and Stevenson Hall, and at the former fire station at 604 North Adelaide Street in Normal.
ISU is requiring all students living on campus to be tested when they return for the spring semester.
Starting January 4, ISU will use antigen tests as the primary COVID-19 asymptomatic testing method to speed-up obtaining test results.
“This type of test allows for increased testing capacity, quick test results, the ability to quickly move positive students into isolation and begin contact tracing, is affordable, and can be processed on campus,” the university said in its update.
ISU staffers said they continue to plan for saliva-based testing provided by the University of Illinois-SHIELD Illinois Program, however it has yet to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Meantime, ISU’s governing board on Saturday approved a contract extension with Pekin-based Reditus Laboratories to process up to 12,500 more COVID-19 nasal tests through the end of the June at a maximum cost of $1.25 million.
ISU’s COVID-19 Campus Case Tracker showed 11 new positive COVID-19 cases for employees during the weekly period ending December 14, and 73 since the start of the fall semester on August 17.
The tracker showed 25 new student cases over the last seven days, with a test positivity rate of 2.2%. Since August, student data showed 1,904 positive cases, and all but 35 of those students have recovered.
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