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Alfred State conducts saliva-based pool testing for more
than 600 people on campus each week along with testing of wastewater from its
residence halls for early detection of any COVID-19 on campus.
As of Oct. 16, ASC reports only three positive cases out of
a campus community of approximately 3,900 people. The latest COVID-19
information for the college is available through an online dashboard at
www.AlfredState.edu/covid-19 including a video showing many of the coronavirus
precautions implemented for the new normal on campus.
ASC is sending upwards of 600 testing samples to SUNY
Upstate Medical and Quadrant Biosciences every week. These saliva-based pool
testing samples are less invasive than many other forms of COVID-19 testing.
The wastewater testing is able to cover more than 1,500 residential students
per week.
Alfred State President Dr. Skip Sullivan said, “We are
pleased to increase our testing capabilities of students, faculty, and staff
and to also add wastewater testing to our list of health monitoring measures.
We believe in requiring a wide variety of precautions to keep our campus
community safe and healthy. Through the cooperation and participation of all
employees and students, we are building an even stronger campus community
during this crisis.”
Upon being contacted to participate in pool testing,
individuals must respond immediately by registering online and then arrive at
the appointed screening location at the scheduled time with a photo ID and
smartphone. Participants must then swab their mouths to collect a saliva sample
that is then sent to SUNY Upstate Medical to be tested.
Health and Wellness Services is coordinating these pool
tests with every pool including samples from 12 individuals. Each week, the
college announces the pool test results by email and posts them online, as
well. If there is a positive pool, then ASC has authorized SUNY Upstate Medical
to perform “reflex tests,” meaning that the college wants to test individual
samples immediately from the 12 included in the pool to determine the
individual who is positive. In this way, ASC can quickly isolate the positive
case and begin contact tracing in coordination with local departments of
health.
Alfred State is also one of the first SUNY colleges to
participate in a new capability to test wastewater to check for signs of
COVID-19. The college collects 24 hours’ worth of samples from residence halls
weekly that are sent to SUNY Upstate Medical to be analyzed. If there is any
indication of COVID-19, further testing of all residents in that building will
begin.
Other forms of health monitoring at Alfred State include
daily health checks through a screening app and PCR nasal swab tests for those
who exhibit symptoms. The college also has four Becton Dickinson Veritor Plus
Analyzers and kits to perform rapid tests for COVID-19, Influenza A+B or Strep.
This helps to eliminate the “white noise” of illnesses that produce similar
symptoms to COVID-19.
