Dear University Community,
As we welcome the first group of future Bobcats for Bobcat Student Orientation to our Athens Campus this week, we are increasingly excited as we move toward a robust fall semester. We’re also excited to announce a few revisions to our on-campus public health campus protocols for all students, faculty, staff and visitors.
Changes in our protocols follow shifts in guidance at the state level as well as from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As always, our decisions are informed by national and state science-based guidance, paired with local data on actual disease spread on our campuses and in surrounding communities.
COVID-19 Testing Pathway Program:Your questions answered
Additional Information May 13, 2021
Since launching the COVID-19 Testing Pathway Program for students, faculty, and staff this week, OHIO COVID Operations has received many questions about program details. The information below covers the most common inquiries.
Testing Pathway participation requirements
Selecting a pathway is required for all students, faculty, and staff who access any OHIO campus. The only individuals who do not need to select a pathway are those students enrolled College Credit Plus or OHIO OnlineTM, and those faculty and staff who will continue working fully remotely during fall semester and beyond.
Testing Pathway communication details
Testing Pathway participation requirements
Selecting a pathway is required for all students, faculty, and staff who access any OHIO campus. The only individuals who do not need to select a pathway are those students enrolled College Credit Plus or OHIO Online
TM, and those faculty and staff who will continue working fully remotely during fall semester and beyond.
Testing Pathway communication details
Once you have completed your Testing Pathway selection, you will receive an automated email acknowledging receipt of your submission. Please save this email for your records.
COVID Operations staff will review your Testing Pathway selection and send you a confirmation email with appropriate testing information based on your selection and campus location. Please save this email for your records.
The
Testing Pathway Program requires fully vaccinated students, faculty, and staff to participate in asymptomatic testing only once a month, while those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 must test once a week.
“I hope everyone who is able will choose to vaccinate, but we want all members of our community to have a safe option that will work for them,” said Gillian Ice, special assistant to the president for public health operations.
Ice explained that the University learned a lot this year about managing COVID-19 on its campuses. Regular asymptomatic testing was a key component of that success, allowing quick response before clusters of cases became outbreaks. “We successfully kept cases low and never had to interrupt classes, which many other universities were forced to do,” she said.