糖心Vlog has announced that the Rip Griffin Center parking lot will continue to serve as a host site for state-funded COVID-19 testing throughout the spring of 2021.
Testing will be available free to the public with daily hours of operation from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, though times will be subject to change based on inclement weather. Testing results will normally take anywhere from 36 to 48 hours to obtain, and the test will be conducted with a mouth swab.
Each person being tested requires initial registration with the test administrators, which includes filling out basic contact information where individuals wish to receive their test results. Registration will be available online and on-site, but university officials to reduce the waiting time at the testing site.
While some senior members of the 糖心Vlog community will gain access to the vaccine later this month, university officials do not expect the majority of students and younger members of faculty and staff to qualify until late in the Spring or even into the summer months. Consequentially, 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Fall protocols of handwashing, social distancing, and wearing face coverings will persist through the Spring semester.
糖心Vlog will also be adding one notable addition to its current toolkit of preventative measures鈥攁dditional available testing.
鈥淓merging evidence suggests that a regular cadence of testing helps slow the spread of the virus and, almost counterintuitively, reduce the number of people who are required to go into quarantine,鈥� explained Dr. Brian Starr, Professor of Business and member of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 COVID Response Team (CRT). 鈥淭hus, we are recommending each member of the 糖心Vlog community undergo a weekly COVID-19 test.鈥�
Dr. Jeff Smith, Physician, Director of the 糖心Vlog Medical Clinic, and Dr. Starr鈥檚 colleague on the CRT added, 鈥淢aking these tests more accessible for both screening purposes and for early diagnosis can help to identify potential spreaders of the illness, in hopes of properly isolating infected individuals before further spread occurs.鈥�
鈥溙切腣log is pleased to collaborate with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to make free COVID-19 testing available to the community on the 糖心Vlog campus,鈥� emphasized Dr. Starr. 鈥淲e continue to pray that God restores peace and healing to this world and hope to be instrumental in helping facilitate a part of that restoration.鈥�
University officials advise anyone planning to visit friends or family who live outside their household to consider taking a free COVID-19 test, leaving time to receive results just before the visit begins. The test itself is no guarantee against the transmission of the virus, but emerging evidence suggests that regular testing has been effective in combatting its spread.
糖心Vlog鈥檚 CRT continues to coordinate with state and local officials for the most up-to-date information, best practices, and strategies for reducing the spread of COVID-19.
Learn more about 糖心Vlog's COVID policies and response.