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Required COVID-19 testing begins Monday for all UK students returning to campus

Posted at 10:58 AM, Aug 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-03 18:43:19-04

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — COVID-19 testing begins Monday for all University of Kentucky students physically returning to campus for fall semester classes.

Testing will take place daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Aug. 22

The five testing locations on campus are:

  • Blue Lot at Kroger Field (drive-thru testing)
  • South Limestone between University Avenue and State Street (walk-up testing)
  • Blazer Dining on South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (walk-up testing)
  • Greek Park on Rose Lane (walk-up testing)
  • Near The 90 at Hilltop and Woodland avenues (walk-up testing)

UK said it will test approximately 2,000 students per day, and the results will be available within 24 hours.

Testing is free for all students.

What is required for students:

  • All students — undergraduate, graduate professional — who are, or will be, coming to campus are required to be tested for COVID-19.
  • Students who take all their classes online and do not plan to visit for any reason are not required to be tested.
  • Students also will have the option to supply the university with test results conducted outside of initial testing on campus. That test must be an approved PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test and done within seven days before the student's arrival date on campus.
    • For students living in on-campus housing, their arrival date is defined as their scheduled residence hall move-in date.
    • Students living in off-campus housing, who want to complete their test, should do so within seven days of the date they first plan to arrive on campus for any reason (e.g. to buy books, etc.)
  • The university is making arrangements for students who utilize off-campus testing to send or upload those results to Health Service. We will provide more information directly to students and families about that process.
  • Students who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to quarantine following the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and state public health guidelines. UK Health Corps. will support them with the resources they need to ensure their health and well-being.
  • The university is working on a follow-up student testing protocol for the rest of the semester.

Classes start Aug. 17.