By Victoria Durgin, Editor in Chief
Susquehanna announced via email on August 5 that all students, regardless of vaccination status, are required to submit a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours prior to their return to campus.
According to the “Re-Entry Plan for Fall 2021” FAQ page on the Susquehanna website, students with “financial need” should contact the Student Health Center for assistance in securing a test. Through the federal CARES Act, all COVID-19 testing at pharmacies and health centers should be offered for free to the uninsured and fully covered by insurance companies.
Questions about the re-entry plan, including for testing and vaccinations, can be emailed to covidtesting@susqu.edu.
The following list shows locations offering COVID-19 testing along with important information for each location and how to contact them for a test.
Walgreens Appointments can be made online or by calling 1-800-WALGREENS and saying “COVID-19” when prompted.
Students will need to fill out a quick questionnaire and will then be able to schedule an appointment. Walgreens offers self-administered nasal swab tests via the drive thru. PCR tests and rapid response tests are both available. Current wait times are typically 1-2 days for a PCR test and anywhere from 2-24 hours for a rapid response test, though the site does state that PCR testing times “may vary.” Anyone looking to receive a test at Walgreens must first complete a brief questionnaire about any symptoms and the reason for requesting a test.
CVS Health
Appointments can be made online.
Similarly to Walgreens, CVS locations offer PCR and rapid result antigen testing via the drive thru. PCR results “typically” take 1-2 days and rapid test results are available “within hours.” CVS also requires a questionnaire to determine eligibility before administering a test.
Rite Aid
Appointments can be made online. RiteAid partners with a third-party vendor, called Project Baseline, to supply COVID-19 tests. Patients must have access to a Google account to sign up through Project Baseline’s portal and test at RiteAid. The questionnaire at RiteAid mirrors those at Walgreens and CVS. Once approved patients can sign up for a PCR test. The FAQ section states results “may take a few days” to return.
Walmart
Walmart’s testing is not open to everyone. A patient will need a request filed by a physician or health care provider for a test from Quest Diagnostics to qualify for testing at Walmart.
In addition to the nationwide pharmacies offering COVID-19 testing, different states may also offer clinics run through community centers or state health departments. To view options for each state, visit the Department of Health and Human Services website.
At- home COVID-19 testing kits provide a rapid result based off an antigen test and are acceptable testing options. Kits are available at Walmart, Amazon, CVS and other retailers. These kits are typically self-administered nasal swabs similar to the tests performed on campus last spring.
