In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health, Bemidji State University will host a free COVID-19 saliva testing clinic for BSU and NTC students in the Gillett Wellness Center on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
To accommodate for this event, the Gillett Wellness Center will be closed to regular activities. No parking permits will be required to park outside of the center for students who wish to participate in the testing event.
On Nov. 9, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan announced a significant expansion in the state’s COVID-19 testing in direct response to the rapidly increasing number of positive cases among Minnesotans between the ages of 18–35.
Dr. Faith C. Hensrud, BSU and NTC president, said the testing event will be an important mitigation strategy as the college and university approach fall breaks.
“State-wide, Minnesota is experiencing a shocking surge in COVID-19 cases, and here in Beltrami we are seeing our highest numbers of confirmed cases and hospitalizations,” Hensrud said. “Aggressive testing is a proven strategy to help us address this crisis to help ensure the health and wellbeing of our campuses and the Bemidji community.”
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, it is likely most students have been exposed to COVID-19 at some point in the past month. The free testing event is part of a broader strategy to help students learn if they are an asymptomatic carrier of the virus, which will help contain further spread.
Approximately 1,200 free tests will be administered to students, and MDH expects to have results in 24 to 48 hours. Students will be encouraged to self-report their results to BSU’s student COVID-19 hotline.
Saliva Testing Procedures
Saliva tests gather approximately one tablespoon of saliva in a sample tube, which is returned to Minneapolis-based Vault Labs by overnight mail. Students who participate in the testing are asked to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Arrive with clean hands.
- Do not consume liquids or food and do not smoke, use nasal sprays or teeth cleaning products or chew gum for at least 30 minutes before sample collection.
Samples will be collected on-site by trained observers wearing personal protective equipment.
Contact
- Travis Greene, associate vice president of student life and success; travis.greene@bemidjistate.edu
Links
- About the Saliva Community Testing Sites
- What to expect: Visiting a COVID-19 Saliva Testing Site
- Bemidji State University COVID-19 Dashboard
- Northwest Technical College COVID-19 Dashboard
- Student Center of Health and Counseling
2021-B-070