Revised process to speed on-campus COVID-19 testing

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Beginning Monday, Dec. 7, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will shift on-campus COVID-19 testing to make the processing of results even faster.

Under the current process, students, faculty members and staff provide a small saliva sample into a large test tube. With the new process, participants will use a straw to deposit a saliva sample into a smaller test tube. The shift in process will provide benefits to the on-campus testing:

A more efficient, automated process.
Faster lab processing of test results.
Fewer invalid or inconclusive results.
Reduced plastic waste.

The new process will be introduced at one testing location Monday and a second on Tuesday. The university will eventually transition all of the on-campus testing sites to the new tube size. Employees at the testing sites will explain how to use the straw and the smaller tube. The rest of the on-campus testing process will remain the same.

The university has administered nearly 1 million COVID-19 saliva-based tests to faculty members, staff and students since opening test sites in July.

Editor’s note: For more information, contact Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for public affairs, 217-333-5010, publicaffairs@illinois.edu

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