Let’s face it. Learning from home on a computer can’t take the place of actually being in a classroom. College students miss interacting with peers and professors. According to research, many students regard online academic learning as difficult and education as being harder than before the pandemic.
Research also shows that many students learning from home feel disrupted and are more likely to have feelings of insecurity, anxiousness, and hopelessness. In addition, college students who self-isolate suffer from more insomnia and depression compared with college students who don’t self-isolate.
What’s more, during lockdowns, there are fun college activities that go by the wayside such as sporting events, concerts, fraternity and sorority parties, and much more.
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person learning now carries risks and concerns. The minute you develop a runny nose, cough, or mild fever, you’re worried you have COVID-19. Your friends, family, and roommates want to steer clear of you. But do you have COVID-19 or just an average head cold?
One reason why COVID-19 testing is so important for college students is because young adults seem to have similar risks of picking up COVID-19 as adults. Unlike older adults, they are less likely to follow long-term precautions to isolate and mask because socialization is so important at that stage of life. Early in the pandemic, we saw age-related differences in how the virus spread. It seemed to spare children under 12. It was harder to contract COVID-19 and less likely to cause symptoms in people under 20. However, the more recent Delta variant appears to be more transmissible in young people and even vaccinated adults can spread it.
The benefits of in-person college learning outweigh the risks, but we must prioritize student safety. One of the best ways to accomplish this is COVID-19 testing. Testing for COVID-19 can prevent school outbreaks. This means that colleges and schools are more likely to stay open and continue in-person learning.
More specifically, there’s a new COVID-19 test for students who attend colleges or universities. The best news of all is that it doesn’t use those painful and annoying nasal swabs. Instead, it’s a COVID-19 saliva test that’s easy to use at home or in the dorm. We’ll talk more about this convenient and accurate test later. For now, let’s delve into when college students should get tested in the first place.
When Should University and College Students Get Tested for COVID-19?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines call for colleges and universities to test all students at the beginning of each term and should consider doing the same for faculty and staff, regardless of whether or not they’ve been vaccinated. If there is moderate spread in the community where the college is located, CDC recommends testing at least once per week. During times of high transmission in the local community, that number jumps to twice per week. Testing can also be conducted regularly on asymptomatic unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff.
In addition, according to CDC guidelines, students, faculty, and staff should get tested if they:
- Suffer from COVID-19 symptoms
- Have been exposed to someone who has COVID. Testing should be three to five days after exposure.
- Have attended an event where another attendee was confirmed to have COVID. Again, testing should be three to five days after exposure.
In college students, symptoms of COVID-19 are identical to those experienced in adults. These COVID-19 symptoms include:
- Congestion or runny nose
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Fever or chills
- Headache
- Muscle or body aches
- Nausea or vomiting
- New loss of taste or smell
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
Peace of Mind with At-Home COVID Test for College Students
Community Labs now offers an at-home, no-swab PCR COVID-19 test that college students will love. When symptoms appear, don’t be caught without this convenient and reliable test kit.
This is much more comfortable and easier than nasal swab testing as it simply requires saliva collection in the comfort of your own home or dorm. Not inserting a nasal swab means less anxiety, pain, and discomfort. And you won’t have to venture out when you don’t feel good to find a COVID testing center.
The no-swab test uses , the gold-standard way to find out whether you’ve been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. You’ll get your test results within 24 hours from when the lab receives your sample. That relieves your worry faster.
You have three affordable options:
- No out-of-pocket cost. We’ll bill your insurance or the federal program. Great option for when you’re feeling ill or when you think you may have been exposed.
- Pay only $25 up front to have a kit on hand for when you might need it. When you’re ready to use the kit, activate it and pay for the test with insurance or a credit card.
- Pay up front ($135) and avoid insurance hassles.
Keep Learning In Person with At-Home COVID-19 Testing
Students, faculty, and staff may all be nervous about in-person learning. After all, studying and working in an indoor environment could potentially expose you to COVID-19. Testing for COVID-19 in colleges can boost confidence in school safety and keep learning on track.
Special COVID-19 Testing Packages for Colleges, Universities, and Schools
Community Labs offers three predesigned COVID-19 non-swab, saliva-testing packages for college, university, or school administrators. We can also work with your team to create custom packages.
Choose from four options for COVID saliva test packages:
- A pre-arrival system to test students, faculty, and staff at the start of each term.
- On-site screening to regularly test students, faculty, and staff.
- Personal collection system to make sure students, faculty, and staff have a kit at home for when they’re feeling ill.
- A custom system designed especially for your campus.
The Best COVID-19 Test for Schools
Hands down, Community Lab’s saliva test is the best COVID test for college and university students. It’s an easy-to-use, reliable, at-home COVID test that avoids the hassle of having to go to a COVID-19 testing site. In addition, you won’t have to worry about painful and uncomfortable nasal swabs. Instead, you’ll simply send a saliva sample to the lab. Using this test will help ensure that schools stay open. This paves the way for young adults to develop their minds, careers, and friendships in a safe college environment.
COVID-19 at-home saliva tests are great for people of any age. Order no swab saliva collection kits for college students to keep on hand.
