If you’ve been to the White Building for a COVID-19 test this semester, you may have noticed a significant change throughout the process. Instead of staying behind for 15 minutes to wait for results, students and employees are now free to go right after getting tested.

The change comes as Penn State has done away with confirmatory tests for presumptive COVID-19 positives. Now, students and employees are required to take only one initial rapid antigen test, according to a university spokesperson.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 through a White Building test should be quickly contacted by Penn State to begin the next steps.

“Each individual is provided with written instructions as they leave the testing site and, as results come back very quickly, outreach is done promptly for positive cases,” said university spokesperson Wyatt DuBois.

COVID-19 cases at University Park neared record highs toward the beginning of the semester as the virus’s omicron variant swept the nation. Since the first day of classes on January 10, Penn State has reported 1,573 positives among students and employees, according to Penn State’s COVID-19 Dashboard.

About 91.4% of students and 86% of employees at University Park are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to Penn State’s COVID-19 Dashboard. The university doesn’t report (or ask for) booster shot coverage.

Only unvaccinated students and employees are required to get tested for COVID-19 each week. This spring, Penn State is revoking Canvas access for students who miss mandatory weekly testing appointments. Previously, unvaccinated students were placed on interim suspension for skipping three straight testing opportunities.

This semester, walk-up COVID-19 testing is available at the White Building on the following schedule:

• Mondays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tuesdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Fridays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturdays: noon to 5 p.m.
• Sundays: noon to 5 p.m.