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COVID-19 Update: Carolina Together Testing Program Update 

Posted by University Communications, Friday, January 22nd, 2021
Student holding Covid test kit
UNC student Ariel Lam takes part in COVID-19 testing at the UNC-CH COVID testing location at Frank Porter Graham Student Union on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. January 11, 2020. The self test is done with a swab and then sent to the UNC COVID Surveillance Laboratory for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing process to determine if the sample is positive or negative for COVID-19. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Dear Carolina Community,

We are wrapping up our second week of the Carolina Together Testing Program and we would like to provide some updates. As of this morning, we have completed more than 13,500 tests in our three testing centers and across seven pop-up testing sites at residence halls since we opened on Jan. 11. This is a testament to our community’s willingness to get tested early and often for their safety and the safety of everyone around them, so thank you again for your participation.

As of today, we are averaging a turnaround of 24 hours to get results, and the positivity rate for our asymptomatic testing is 0.54%. In addition, 112 positive cases were identified through our Prior To Arrival testing requirement for undergraduates, which means 112 cases were found before they returned to the campus or community.

This week we implemented the two-line system for reservations and walk-ins to better streamline the intake at all of the centers. We had high participation numbers as we returned from the long weekend, and this system is allowing our staff to move you through the center more efficiently and our appointment windows to remain accurate and timely. As a result, our average wait times are decreasing.

In addition, we continue to review and enhance HallPass, the testing process and how our reminders are sent. Starting next week, we will provide appointment windows in 30-minute increments instead of an hour so you can have a better idea of when you will be tested.

As a reminder, the hours of our locations and parking information are below. Please pay special attention to the weekend hours of the centers.

 

  • Frank Porter Graham Student Union, gallery space, side closest to Davis Library 
    • Monday through Friday, 7am-6pm
    • Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm
    • Parking is available in the Undergraduate Library Parking Lot
  • CURRENT ArtSpace + Studio 
    • Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm
    • Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm
    • Parking is available in the Granville Towers West Parking Lot
  • UNC Rams Head Recreation Center, multi-purpose room, closest to dining hall 
    • Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm
    • Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm
    • Parking is available in the Rams Head Parking Deck
      • Pull ticket from machine upon entry
      • Validate parking at the testing site
      • Give validation ticket to parking attendant upon exit

You can find maps to the parking locations on the Carolina Together website There are signs for designated spots at the Undergraduate Library lot and at Granville Towers.

We are grateful to all of the staff members and volunteers who continue to show up and serve our community at the testing centers. In this last week alone, volunteers have logged more than 1,500 hours, an impressive feat. As a reminder, we have opportunities for everyone who wants to get involved. The Carolina COVID-19 Student Services Corps is placing students in various volunteer opportunities around the campus to help serve the campus. Also, the Carolina Together Ambassadors program is a student volunteer group that is assisting students with wayfinding and adherence throughout the semester.

In addition, please visit The Well today for a new story to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the program was developed, including how we stood up the centers and lab to make this possible.

Thank you again for your commitment to making Carolina safe this semester. We will continue to provide regular updates, but if you have a question about the testing program that is not answered on the Carolina Together Testing Program page, you can submit a question form on that website.

Sincerely,

The Carolina Together Testing Program Team

 

 

 

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