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.
Nationwide
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.
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.
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.
Appointments can be made online.
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.
State and Local
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
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.