UChicago COVID-19 Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program

To: Off-campus students
From: Michele Rasmussen, Dean of Students in the University, and Dr. Richard McDonough, Senior Medical Director for UChicago Student Wellness 
Subject: UChicago COVID-19 Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program
Date: October 13, 2020

Greetings,

Yesterday you received information about the University’s COVID-19 Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program reopening, and I want to encourage you to apply if you are not already part of the program.

You can apply to be enrolled in the weekly program until 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, October 15, or until it has reached capacity, whichever is soonest.

If you are a current University student who is residing in Chicago and you plan to interact with other current students, utilize on-campus resources, or otherwise be on campus for any reason, we encourage you to take part in the program. You may apply to participate in the program regardless of whether you are taking classes in person or remotely.

Participant Requirements

If you would like to apply to be part of the Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program (and are not already a participant in either the voluntary or mandatory testing program), you must be a University student who meets the following criteria:

• Has not tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days prior to your registration; and
• Can commit to weekly testing for the duration of the academic year*

*Those who intend to leave Chicago during vacation periods during the academic year are still eligible to participate in the testing program, which will begin no earlier than late October or early November.

If you meet these criteria, follow the steps below to apply.

Instructions to Apply for the Voluntary Surveillance Testing Program

(Students under age 18 will need their parent or legal guardian to sign their consent form and HIPAA authorization to complete registration.)

Step 1: Go to https://covidtestregistration.uchicago.edu/ to complete a screening questionnaire to determine if you are eligible for the program. If you are, you will be directed to the next step.

Step 2: If you are confirmed eligible to apply, you will continue your application with your name, date of birth, University affiliation (i.e. student), and you will select your preferred testing day(s) and time slot(s).

Step 3: Next, you will need to digitally sign a consent form and HIPAA authorization to release your testing results to the University and University of Chicago Medicine. You will need your Chicago ID number for this process.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: Your Chicago ID is not your student ID number. This is the 8-digit number followed by a letter found on the back of your University ID card. If you do not yet have a University ID card, you can find your Chicago ID at https://cnet.uchicago.edu/WhoAmI/.

Step 4: Once complete, you should receive a copy of your signed consent form and HIPAA authorization by email immediately.

Step 5: If you are accepted into the program, you will receive an email at a later date to register for MyChart, a medical patient portal. Participants must activate their MyChart account to see their scheduled testing date and time slot, along with additional details about your test. MyChart is also where you will locate your results. If you are not accepted into the program, you will be notified by email in the coming weeks.

Step 6: Participants should arrive at testing site with their UChicago ID or other form of photo identification. You will not need your insurance information. The test is free to participants; all costs will be covered by the University.