North Central College this week will begin random COVID-19 testing of students, faculty and staff, a week after classes started and three students at the Naperville school tested positive during the “entry” process.
Described as surveillance testing, North Central plans to check 5% of the general population of students, faculty and staff on campus and 10% of students living in dorms, a letter signed by Peter Barger, assistant provost and director of institutional effectiveness and planning, and Kimberly Sluis, vice president for student affairs and strategic initiatives, said.
Individuals will be selected arbitrarily and will be notified in advance via email.
Anyone chosen for testing is expected to participate in accordance with a campus community pledge signed at the start of the school year. Fifteen-minute time slots will be available throughout the designated day to accommodate schedules, the letter said.
The testing is conducted with a self-collected nasal swab under the supervision of trained medical personnel. Results are expected within 72 hours, a FAQ page on the college’s website shows.
Picture Source: Erin Hegarty / Naperville Sun
