Vanderbilt announced the temporary closure of its COVID-19 testing site at the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center, along with the end of its asymptomatic testing program, on May 10. This closure began on May 16 and will remain in effect until the resumption of campus activities in the fall.
The announcement cites the reduced number of individuals on campus and the decline in positive COVID-19 cases as the reasons for the closure. It advises individuals to record any positive results on the university’s COVID-19 Command Center.
The university has instructed symptomatic individuals to get tested at the Student Health Center, the Occupational Health Center or Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Symptomatic students living off-campus who test positive at a facility other than Student Health are ordered to isolate and notify the university through the Command Center webform. Individuals staying on campus who test positive are instructed to email [email protected] and await further instruction. The university will be providing quarantine housing in Warren and Moore Colleges, where students will have access to a kitchen in the suite-style living spaces. Students in isolation will also receive a care package with non-perishable food items. Previously, students in quarantine received $50 in GrubHub cash for each day they were in isolation.
“Since there are no meal plans for the summer, Campus Dining is not planning to offer the GrubHub substitution during this time,” a university representative wrote in an email to the Hustler.
In the May 10 announcement, the university also provided resources for individuals seeking testing in the Nashville Metropolitan area and in Tennessee and Kentucky.
“Testing protocols will continue to be evaluated based on trends in positivity rates and case counts, and they are subject to change,” the announcement reads.
The announcement reminded the Vanderbilt community of the availability of free antigen rapid test kits in Sarratt Student Center 310 for close contacts of COVID-19 patients and those who wish to get tested at home.
