Headline: Students Must be COVID Tested to Return to Campus

Author: Courtney Balcombe; News Editor

In an email sent out to Penn State Behrend students, Dr. Ken Miller informed students who will need to use on-campus computer labs or other facilities that they need to have a COVID-19 test done by Penn State.

Dr. Miller included this link to the testing requirements for students who must return to campus.

Here are the following steps students must follow:

• Students from all campuses are required to participate in COVID-19 testing and have a negative COVID test result on file prior to their return to their campus community. Self-test kits will be provided to students at no cost.
• The University plans to have a test result on file for every student within 72 hours of their intended return.
• Students who have a positive test on file with the University from within the last 90 days do not need to complete this testing. 
• Students should determine their individual arrival date and count backward to complete each step on the timeline.

Students should check their “Know Your Status” portal 21-days before their return to campus, this can be found in the Penn State Go app. Once the student logs in with their campus login, they can check their test results and their progress through the testing process.

Following this their COVID test should be ordered 14-days before returning to campus, this day should be February 1st. Vault Health will mail the COVID test to the student’s residence along with a Zoom link to do their COVID test with a Vault Health representative.

In the last five days before returning to campus, students should take their test with a Vault Health representative and mail their test back to the lab. Within 72 hours, students should receive their test results.

Receiving a positive test result means the student should follow COVID guidelines and isolate at home. If the results are negative, the student should still limit their interactions outside of their household.

Students can contact the COVID-19 Response Center at 814-865-2121 with specific questions about testing or the portal.