COLUMBIA, Mo. — Mizzou students who plan to live in residential housing must get tested for the coronavirus before the start of the spring semester, the university announced Tuesday.
“We know that testing does not stop the spread of the virus, but arrival testing may provide us information at that point in time that helps direct our health strategies and precautionary tactics," said Bill Stackman, vice chancellor for Student Affairs, in a press release.
Testing is not required for students living off campus, but the university said it strongly encourages it.
The university said students can meet the testing requirement by getting tested in their current residence no more than five days before arriving in Columbia. They can also register for a test at a temporary, on-campus clinic.
Students who tested positive for COVID on or after Oct. 15, 2020, and before Jan. 9., 2021, and supply documentation of their positive result will not need to test again before their return. The university said students who test positive after Jan. 9, 2021, should stay at home until being cleared by a medical professional.
Mizzou officials will only accept results from PCR or rapid antigen viral tests, which both involve a swab of the nose or mouth or collection of saliva, the release said. Officials will not accept the results of antibody tests, which involve the collection of a blood sample.
Frontline health care workers and first responders at the university have received the first round of vaccines, the release said.
“This past fall, we proved that simple precautions such as wearing face coverings, social distancing and hygiene measures remain the most effective defense for COVID-19,” said Jamie Shutter, executive director of Student Health & Well-Being and interim director of the Student Health Center. “It will be important that we continue these practices to protect each other throughout the winter break and spring semester, perhaps longer, as mass inoculation will take time.”
For more details on the testing requirement, click here.
