As part of the University's commitment to provide a healthy and safe living, learning, and working environment, NDMU is implementing a weekly program for surveillance testing to regularly monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus. Your participation in this program is vital to these efforts.

NDMU has partnered with Lifebridge Health and the University of Maryland Baltimore’s Institute for Genomic Sciences to administer the testing program. Testing will take place on the NDMU campus at no cost to the individuals selected.

Testing Pool

All student, faculty, staff, and contractors living, learning or working on University property, including participating in professional program clinicals, practicums, and internships, on a regular or routine basis may be subject to mandatory weekly random sample surveillance testing. Each week, approximately 65 individuals in the surveillance population will be randomly selected to be tested. Tests will be self-administered under observation at NDMU. Testing will be provided by NDMU at no cost to the individual.

The University may establish sub-testing pools and prioritize testing selection based on risk to the University community. For example, unvaccinated individuals with an approved exemption.

Testing Process

  1. An email from COVID_Testing@ndm.edu states that you’ve been selected to participate in the campus surveillance testing.
  2. Follow the SignUpGenius link provided in the email to select a time slot for your test.
  3. Before heading to campus, complete the self-screen symptom checker to make sure you are cleared to come to campus (green screen).
  4. Proceed to the designated testing area during your selected testing block.
  5. Check in at the sign-in table.
  6. Fill out the consent form to give Lifebridge health permission to run the test.
  7. Confirm your email address and cell phone number to ensure you receive your test results.
  8. Wait in the chairs until you are called back to take your test.
  9. Follow the directions of the person administering the test.

Test Results

Results will be available approximately 48-72 hours after you take the test. You will be notified via email or text for a negative test. Should your COVID-19 test come back positive, a Lifebridge Health representative will contact you by phone and provide further information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is/should be participating in the testing pool?

All students, faculty, and staff on or coming to campus (including Elkridge and required in-person professional program clinicals, practicums, or internships) on a regular/routine basis during the spring semester. A regular/routine basis includes living, working, teaching, or learning (including attending classes or any ongoing academic related-activities) on campus. Broadly, a regular/routine basis includes all activities on campus more than a very infrequent visit, including visiting an office, picking up or dropping off materials or documents, etc. Generally, if you are on campus once or more per week for any reason, you are required to be in the testing pool.

I am pursing 100% remote learning this semester, what do I do?

If you are
a) are pursuing ALL of your courses (100%) via remote learning for the semester,
b) NOT living on campus, and
c) NOT engaged in any required in-person professional program clinicals, practicums, internships, etc. – you may be excused from testing and removed from the testing pool.

If you are selected for testing, please reply to COVID_Testing@ndm.edu and indicate in your email that are “taking all of your courses (100%) via remote learning for the semester, do NOT live on campus, and are not engaged in any required in-person professional program clinicals, practicums, or internships.”

I’m not coming to campus on a routine/regular basis, what do I do?

If you feel that you have been incorrectly included in the testing pool and you are not on or coming to campus on a regular/routine basis, please send an email to COVID_Testing@ndm.edu with your request and explanation to be removed from the testing pool.

Please be aware that if you are removed from the testing pool, you are not be permitted to come to campus for any regular/routine activities including attending class or academic related-activities.

I have been tested recently for COVID-19 and was negative, do I need to participate?

If you are selected for COVID-19 random sample surveillance testing, you are generally required to report for testing, regardless of when you last received a negative COVID-19 test.

Surveillance testing addresses two important goals – 1) identifying asymptomatic individuals; and 2) monitoring the University’s on-campus positivity rate. This information will inform the University’s strategy and response to COVID-19.

I have been recently diagnosed with COVID-19, do I need to participate?

Individuals that have been positively diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 90 days, have recovered, and remain symptom free may be excused from COVID-19 surveillance testing. Contact the testing team at COVID_Testing@ndm.edu with your request to be excused.

I have been recently fully vaccinated for COVID-19, do I need to participate?

Yes – You are still required to be tested even if you are fully vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are not 100% effective and it is still possible to contract COVID-19 even if you have been fully vaccinated.

What kind of COVID-19 test am I self-administering?

NDMU administers NAAT/PCR tests. The COVID-19 test is a viral nasal swab test that is inserted ½ to 1 inch into your nose (different than the deep nasal “brain teaser” tests). See the links below for more information.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/naats.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/COVID-19-anterior-self-swab-testing-center.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQeI9CMGods&feature=youtu.be

How long will the testing/appointment take?

During your selected appointment slot, you will check-in and verify some information before proceeding to a private area for test administration. Generally, the entire process takes less than 10 minutes.

The location/dates/times do not work for me, can I be excused or pick another day?

Our goal is to provide our students, faculty, and staff options and flexibility for fulfilling their required testing. Individuals may sign up for testing on two different days over the course of 8 hours. We understand it may be difficult to fit the required testing into your schedule but please know that your participation in testing is important and required.

See also – Question – Can I submit an externally obtained test result or at-home test result in lieu of being tested by the University?

In the event you have class during the available testing times, please communicate with your faculty member to let them to know you may be a few minutes late or may need to depart a few minutes early from class. The COVID Testing Team is able to send a note to your faculty member if desired/necessary.

While selected individuals are expected to sign up and report for required COVID-19 surveillance testing, we understand there may be some situations that make an individual’s participation impossible or not without significant hardship. Situations such as these will be considered and addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Failure to complete mandatory surveillance testing may result in a referral for disciplinary action to the Offices of Student Life or Human Resources, including the suspension of your participation in your academic program.

Can I submit an externally obtained test result or at-home test result in lieu of being tested by the University?

Yes – Individuals may submit a test result obtained offsite or an at-home COVID-19 viral test if taken during the required time period in lieu of being tested by the University. See below for additional information.

Individuals may arrange for off-site viral testing via a local health department, healthcare provider, local pharmacy, etc. and submit the results to the University. Testing sites and appointments are available at https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/symptoms-testing.

Individuals may also use an at-home COVID-19 viral test, and submit a timestamped photo of the results to the University AND the accompanying form. The photo must be timestamped either electronically or by including the date of test administration in the picture (e.g.. take the picture of the test with daily newspaper or computer screen displaying the date

By submitting the test result to the University in lieu of University administered or off-site testing, the individuals is certifying that they have tested negative for COVID-19 properly using a self-administered home antigen test. They understand that any intentional misrepresentation contained in the submission may result in disciplinary action/sanction.

While COVID-19 testing is often free or reimbursable under health insurance, any costs for external or at-home testing are the responsibility of the individual.

 

I was not coming to campus on a “regular/routine” basis but my status may be changing, what do I need to do?

If you are a faculty or staff member and your status has or will soon change, please touch base with your respective Dean (in the case of faculty), or supervisor and Vice President (in the case of staff). Following that discussion, please send an email to Human_Resources@ndm.edu informing them of your change in status. If you are a student worker, please touch base with your supervisor and send an email to Human_Resources@ndm.edu informing them of your change in status.  The Office of Human Resources will advise the Testing Team of any changes in status.

If you are a student, your status is generally determined by your semester face-to-face class schedule or on-campus living arrangement as determined by the Offices of the Registrar and Residence Life. For students pursing 100% remote learning – Please the earlier Q&A regarding requesting out of the testing pool.

Who do I contact with questions?

You may reach out to COVID_Testing@ndm.edu with any questions or concerns.

Additional questions about Surveillance testing?

Contact COVID_Testing@ndm.edu with any questions or concerns.