CSUN Student Housing residents required to participate in monthly COVID testing starting January

CSUN+Student+Housing+residents+will+be+required+to+undergo+monthly+COVID-19+testing+starting+from+Jan.+11.

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CSUN Student Housing residents will be required to undergo monthly COVID-19 testing starting from Jan. 11.

Michaella Huck, Culture Editor

In an email sent out to CSUN housing residents Tuesday afternoon, students were notified that those who live in the University Park Suites and Apartments will be required to take monthly COVID-19 tests starting Jan. 11.

Students living in University Housing will be tested the week of Jan. 11 and by no later than Jan. 14 at noon.

The university will provide testing at no cost to students by appointment only.

“The test you will be given is an antigen test which will provide results in approximately one hour or less. You will also be given a PCR test which will provide results in 24–48 hours,” the Office of Student Housing’s email stated.

The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test is a nasal swab that is used to detect genetic material that is specific to the coronavirus. According to the email, two nasal swabs will be collected and the results will be sent to students the same day.

After the January testing, the university requires students in housing to get a COVID-19 test once a month. One quarter of the students population living in housing will be tested each week, in an order randomly selected by the university.

“Housing will select 25% of the total resident population each week to be tested on campus for COVID. You will need to sign an authorization to forward those results to the Klotz Student Health Center,” the email says.

Students who tested positive for COVID-19 will be moved to another building for quarantine until they are cleared to move back to their normal housing assignment.

Prior to moving into housing, students signed a Fall 2020 Resident Community Living Agreement COVID-19 Addendum, which explained that testing, among other COVID-19 regulations, such as mandatory mask wearing, may be required by the university.

The email asked that students who are already experiencing COVID-19 symptoms not to come to the testing area. They are instructed to stay in their assigned room and contact the Klotz Student Health Center and Student Housing.

For questions, students can contact the Student Housing office.