Western Illinois University has obtained COVID-19 test kits (saliva test), and will be distributing the test kits this weekend to students living on campus.
Test kits for faculty, staff and commuter students are expected to be distributed and registered on the Macomb and Moline campuses beginning Tuesday, Aug. 25. Commuter students, faculty and staff on the Macomb campus will receive test kits beginning at 9 a.m. Aug. 25 at the metered parking lot at the northeast corner of the University Union. Quad Cities students, faculty and staff will receive test kits at the Riverfront Hall east entrance beginning at 1 p.m. Aug. 25.
The University will continue distributing test kits Wednesday-Thursday, Aug. 26-27. The completed saliva collection tests will be overnighted to a lab in Kansas, with results anticipated within 24 hours.
Individuals who test positive will be immediately notified and must isolate for 14 days. WIU-Macomb has facilities set up to ensure comfortable and safe accommodations for those who must isolate. Faculty, staff and commuter students on both campuses who test positive must isolate at home for 14 days.
Test kit distribution and collection, which will be conducted by Beu Health Center staff and trained volunteers, will continue to take place weekly for a random sampling of the WIU population throughout the fall semester.
In addition, Facilities Management has obtained 350 HEPA air purifiers, which are expected to arrive Aug. 26. These units will be distributed to classrooms immediately upon arrival, and will be set up according to classroom size and capacity.
A dashboard will also be available in the near future at wiu.edu/coronavirus to keep the University community apprised of positive cases on the WIU campuses. For more information and updates, visit wiu.edu/coronavirus.