COVID-19 update: Pre-arrival and arrival testing

Lafayette students,

We know that most—and possibly all—of you have not received the pre-arrival test kits ordered through Genetworx, the College’s partner for testing this spring. We have no information as to the precise nature or scope of the delay despite continuous efforts with the vendor to identify the issue. We also know this is frustrating, and we apologize for the stress this has created for students and families. The rest of this message offers guidance on how students can still safely return to campus, even though pre-arrival testing has not gone as planned. 

In short: You should continue to plan for your scheduled arrival to campus even if no pre-arrival test kit is received from Genetworx.

To help students avoid the potential challenges of moving back to campus and needing to enter isolation, we recommend that you test with a PCR, rapid antigen, or at-home antigen before departing for campus. You do not need to submit the results in advance to complete the arrival PCR testing. Our baseline data about the campus will be determined from our arrival testing. You do still need to schedule an arrival test unless you received a notice of exemption from the College due to a recent infection or are already on campus. Students who have not created an Aura account and selected an arrival test time slot should do so now.

The most important thing for every member of the campus community is to not return to campus if you potentially have an active COVID-19 infection. This means: 

• You should not return to campus if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 until you receive a negative test.
• You should not exit isolation until you meet the criteria established by the CDC. 

Be safe and stay well,

Annette Diorio
Vice President for Campus Life
covid-19@lafayette.edu