Updated Dec. 13 with the news that two additional staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, making the current total three.
The University of Redlands began offering free COVID-19 tests to university and community members on Monday, Nov. 30, continuing testing at University Hall, according to a university-wide email. The news comes after the announcement that a second university staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
The administration announced on Nov. 23 that the employee was self-isolating, and that it had dispatched a team to clean all areas the employee had come into contact with.
Following the report of a university employee reporting positive for COVID-19 last week, an email sent to the university community this Dec. 7 identified another two positive tests. Of the two employees, only one was present on campus during their infectious period. The employees are now in quarantine and following up on contact tracing efforts as per the university’s COVID-19 policies and CDC recommendations.
The tests that are being offered on-campus are self-administered and belong to the PCR type, which indicate if a person is infected with COVID-19 at the time of the test. It is reported to be “simple, quick, and painless” and has a “more than 90%” accuracy rate, according to the county. Test results will be sent back within three to five days.
Coordinating with San Bernardino County, the agreement to open the testing site is described in the email as a “win-win-win situation” that increases access and convenience of testing to both university and community members.
This announcement marks the continuation of the single-day testing event hosted last Saturday, as part of the County’s effort to slow down local cases. With nearly 94,000 cases as of Dec. 1, San Bernardino is currently in the purple tier, meaning community infections are “widespread.”
The San Bernardino County’s COVID-19 Response page provides more information on statistics, available testing sites, how to make appointments, and frequently asked questions. University community members should direct any questions to covidresponse@redlands.edu.
