JMU Health Update - Nov. 18

Dear JMU Family,

Updated testing information

• UPARK testing today is full. At this point, the site will not be accepting walk-ups without registration. If you registered, please print the voucher and bring it with you at your designated appointment time. This will save time when you arrive. If you no longer plan to attend, please cancel your appointment so we can accommodate others who need to be tested.
• UHC exit testing appointments are now full for this week. However, there are appointments available for students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Call 540-568-6178 to speak with a nurse.

Upcoming testing opportunities

• Thursday, Nov. 19, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington (about 1 hour from JMU). This is open to all students, faculty, staff and the community. You must preregister. To view the testing site, complete the Start Assessment on this site. You will have the option to change your zip code. Use 24450 to see this site. Please print your voucher and bring it with you.
• Monday, Nov. 23, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds (about 10 minutes from JMU). Open to all students, faculty, staff and the community. You can preregister or register on-site if appointments are still available.

Remember that testing is only accurate for the time that it is administered, and results are usually returned in 2 to 5 days. Consider getting tested a week after returning home to help identify any exposure or illness you may have picked up while traveling. Minimize interactions with others by spending short periods of time with smaller groups of people, outside if possible, and avoiding long, indoor gatherings. These recommendations are important all of the time, but ESPECIALLY if you will be seeing older relatives or family members with underlying medical conditions.

Looking for more testing?
Use this link to find a testing site near you. Not from Virginia? Look up your state’s Health Department page.

Update on Cases
The university observed 5 new positive cases of COVID-19 at the Health Center yesterday, and 0 self-reported student cases. One employee tested positive at UHC, and 3 employees self-reported testing positive from activities off campus, putting the number of active cases at 35. The number of open quarantine and isolation beds is at 428 out of 443. More information can be found on the university’s Stop the Spread dashboard. While our situation continues to improve, individuals must continue to follow public health guidance by wearing masks, maintaining physical distance and washing hands frequently.

Stop the Spread HELPline
If students and their families have questions and can’t readily find the answers in our FAQs, call the Stop the Spread HELPline, which is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The toll-free number is 888-886-3131. And don’t forget, many of your questions can be answered here. Call center agents also will be answering questions sent to covid19@jmu.edu, and you can submit questions via a form on the Stop the Spread site. Please note, the HELPline is not for reporting noncompliance with health guidance and the Stop the Spread Agreement signed by all students. Please use the LiveSafe app, which goes directly to the JMU Public Safety dispatch.

Stay safe, and please remember that the only vaccine currently available for COVID-19 is solidarity. And download the COVIDWISE app!