Ohio State on-campus COVID cases fall, twice weekly student testing mandate lifted

Max Garrison
Fri, 19 Mar 2021 16:13:21 +0000
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On-campus Ohio State student residents will no longer be required to test for COVID-19 twice per week as the university returns to its weekly requirement after a drop in cases. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

After two weeks of on-campus residents testing for COVID-19 twice per week, Ohio State’s surveillance testing program is returning to its weekly requirement Monday.

The university mandated students living in residence halls be tested twice per week starting March 8 after the on-campus seven-day positivity rate doubled, with 92 campus residents testing positive for COVID-19 between Feb. 24 and March 2.

Only 22 on-campus students tested positive between March 11 and Wednesday.

The increased testing’s purpose was to allow Ohio State to identify and isolate positive cases faster to slow the coronavirus spread, according to a March 4 email sent to on-campus residents.?

According to an email sent to campus residents Friday, students who already scheduled two COVID-19 tests next week can cancel their appointments in the MyChart app but can also continue being tested twice.