If you’re not on campus this semester, you might’ve missed some of the drama that’s gone down between Mason and residential students about surveillance testing the population. Despite currently having one of the lowest number of positive COVID-19 cases out of other Virginia universities, the beginning of the semester was not quite auspicious.
Basically, it seems like George Mason (along with several other Virginia higher education institutions) used a less-than-reputable company to do at-home testing for all residential students prior to returning to campus. This company, Kallaco, has been accused of using tests that are not FDA approved for at-home collection, meaning that any results would be invalid.
An investigation is now underway and Kallaco testing is being meme’d on Facebook.
TL;DR – it’s been chaotic.
On September 11th, residential students received an email notification that they would all be tested again. This time, however, the process was much more organized and easier to complete. For this second round of testing, Mason partnered with Vault Health, a logistics and technology company, and Rutgers University’s CLIA-certified RUDCR Infinite Biologics laboratory.
Students picked up test kits on campus, which included a tube for saliva collection and instruction for how to register their kit on the Vault website. Students were also connected to Vault telehealth professionals via Zoom during kit registration to walk them through how to complete the saliva collection process. Kits were returned to a campus drop-off point within 24 hours and mailed to the lab by Mason. Results were sent via email within two business days.
As a residential student myself, I can confidently say that the Vault Health/Rutgers saliva test was much easier and felt more secure and legitimate than the Kallaco throat swab fiasco. There was more oversight this time around, which translated into less room for error. I also got my results much more quickly – I turned in my Vault test on a Wednesday and had my negative result by Friday.
In addition to giving residential students at-home tests, George Mason has taken a few additional measures to keep campus as safe as possible. Students, faculty, and staff are required to fill out a survey every day in order to be cleared for participation in any Mason activity. This includes coming to work, going to practice, or just swinging by the dining hall.
Furthermore, the Global Center garage has been repurposed as a COVID-19 testing site, complete with a drive-through option. Each week, folks are randomly selected to be tested in order to survey rates of disease incidence in the population. These tests are nasal swabs inserted a few inches into the nostril, administered by healthcare professionals. It’s free of charge and very straightforward.
I was randomly tested the week of 9/20, and my only complaint about this particular process is that the results seem to take significantly longer than the Vault or even Kallaco tests. Other than that, I found it pretty easy to sign up for a time slot and get the test.
As Mason settles into the swing of this new, strange semester, it’s comforting to know that at least our university is trying to do right by students, if only in this one aspect.