Pacific Will Expand Asymptomatic COVID-19 Testing

Pacific University will begin ongoing asymptomatic testing of students and employees for COVID-19 this week.

While infection rates have been low among Pacific’s campus populations, the additional asymptomatic testing is another tool to proactively identify and monitor potential community spread, particularly as disease incidence may increase in our neighboring communities during the cold and flu season.

Students and employees in certain groups in Forest Grove and Hillsboro — such as those living in residence halls, working in settings where close contact, as defined by the CDC, with others is likely, such as participating in clinical activities that involve touching the face — may be selected for testing, either randomly or among specific groups.

Participants will be tested for COVID-19, and their results will be processed in batches. If a batch of tests indicates a positive, that group will be retested for individual results.

Selected participants will be notified by email and will be given directions on when and where to obtain testing on campus. Please continue to watch your Pacific email for notifications.

The diligence of students and employees in taking public health precautions has, so far, kept Pacific’s campus communities at a low rate of infection. As of Monday, there were three active cases being monitored, one of which had no campus contact. There is no evidence thus far of spread of the disease on our campuses; all positive cases have been traced back to off-campus contacts.

To help maintain our community’s health and safety, we remind students and employees to continue to be mindful of their health. Stay home and complete the Illness Registry if you feel at all unwell — even if you suspect it’s “just” a cold.

Please limit travel and off-campus contacts as much as possible, and be sure to take the same precautions off campus as you would on campus: Wear face coverings, maintain physical distancing, and wash your hands frequently.