COVID test shortage at UVU

COVID-19 cases have been increasing since school has been back in session and Utah Valley University is experiencing a shortage of tests.

“We are being asked to conserve testing supplies at UVU and as a community,” wrote Robin Ebmeyer, director of emergency management and safety, in the announcement on Thursday. “Tests should be reserved for high-risk individuals, those who are symptomatic, have had known exposure to COVID-19, or those who are attending a class that requires testing.”

According to Ebmeyer, you should not test at UVU out of curiosity (without symptoms), for travel, or to go to an event–rather, these tests need to be reserved for people who are experiencing symptoms.

With the Omicron variant spreading quickly, we can expect to see infection rates rise and fall at about the same rate, according to Ebmeyer. “We anticipate that there will be rapid improvement in community wellness within a few weeks.”

“If you have cold-like symptoms, act as if you have COVID-19 and stay home for five days,” said state and health officials during a press briefing in an article for the Daily Herald. “Because of the overwhelming amount of infection in the community, officials also urged people not to get tested unless they are at high-risk for complications.”

“The state has limited testing capacity and urged the public to save those tests for individuals who really need them, such as the elderly, immunocompromised and those who work with vulnerable populations such as long-term care and other health care facilities,” said Dr. Leisha Nolen, an epidemiologist at the Utah Department of Health. 

On Jan. 20, the federal government released a website allowing households in the U.S to order up to four free at-home COVID-19 tests. To place an order, one can visit this site and orders are expected to ship in 7 to 12 days. For cases where testing is urgent and time-sensitive, they provide resources and information about testing locations.

According to CovidTests.gov, these tests are rapid antigen at-home tests that can be taken anywhere, give results within 30 minutes, work regardless of COVID-?19 symptoms or if one is up to date with their COVID-?19 vaccines. These tests are also referred to as “self-tests” or over-the-counter tests. If you have any other questions about the tests visit their website, CovidTests.gov.

A negative at-?home test result means that the test did not detect the virus, and you may have a lower risk of spreading COVID-19 to others. If you test negative but are experiencing symptoms, you should test again within a few days, waiting at least 24 hours between tests.

A positive at-?home test result means that the test has detected the virus, and you likely have COVID-?19. They recommend isolation for five days and masking for ten full days. Avoid places where you are unable to wear a mask. To learn more about COVID-19 visit the CDC’s website.