Ongoing COVID-19 Testing Begins Next Week

Baylor is launching COVID-19 surveillance testing for the Baylor campus community in Waco and at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas as part of the University’s ongoing mitigation and prevention efforts related to the virus.

The first round of mail-in testing before the start of the fall semester through Everlywell provided a baseline, or a point of reference for the campus COVID-19 positivity rate. Ongoing surveillance testing throughout the semester will allow us to continually monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 and to respond quickly, as needed.

Testing Overview

Beginning this Wednesday, August 26, the University will randomly select and notify students, faculty, staff and vendors who will start testing Monday, August 31. Testing will continue each week until Friday, November 20.

Test participants will be selected from the following groups:

• 175 faculty and staff working on campus
• 250 on-campus students
• 480 off-campus and online-only students who live in Waco
• 300 contractors

Testing Process

On Wednesday of each week, those who have been selected for testing will be notified via email and given further instructions on the testing location and appointment availability. Each participant will have until the end of the week to schedule a COVID-19 test appointment for the following week. Those selected will receive a PCR test using a nasal swab. Test results will be available within 24 to 48 hours.

The aggregated number of positive test results and the number of tests administered will be provided on the Baylor Dashboard at 3 p.m. daily.

Testing Incentives

Student Activities will offer incentives to students who complete testing by the weekly deadline. Prizes include restaurant gift certificates, football tickets, a free parking pass for the semester, a designated parking spot, and textbook reimbursement.

Additionally, students will be entered in grand prize drawings for large prizes ranging from a $5,000 tuition scholarship to a free meal plan (on-campus) or Dining Dollars (off-campus).

Compliance

All students, faculty, staff and vendors are required to test if selected. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

Regular COVID-19 testing is an integral component of our layered strategy to safeguard the health and well-being of the Baylor community. Thank you for being a part of our efforts to keep our campus community healthy. It will take all of us working together to #SicCOVID.

Sincerely,

Baylor COVID-19 Testing Team
www.baylor.edu/coronavirus
www.baylor.edu/coronavirus/FAQs