University Medical Center Leading UA’s COVID-19 Testing Program

September 15, 2020

As the fall semester continues at The University of Alabama, University Medical Center is leading UA’s COVID-19 testing program and helping the University keep campus open and faculty, staff and students safe.

“We have accessible, convenient testing that is available every day,” said Dr. Richard Friend, dean of UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, which operates UMC.

CCHS is coordinating UA’s testing program with the UA System Health and Safety Task Force. Consistent with the UA System Comprehensive Health and Safety Plan, testing at UA is done in four populations: symptomatic individuals, individuals possibly exposed, individuals in a shared geographic area, and those randomly selected individuals for sentinel testing.

UA employees who need to be tested can go to UMC. Testing for students experiencing symptoms or possibly exposed to COVID-19 is available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm at Coleman Coliseum. UMC doctors and nurses are also conducting testing at Coleman Coliseum.

The on-campus COVID-19 tests are entered into a system so UA officials can begin exposure notification and quarantine and isolation procedures, Friend said.

“Our testing has allowed us to take swift action to slow the spread of COVID-19,” he said. “We are heading in the right direction, but everyone needs to be patient and work together.”

University employees and students who think they have been exposed to COVID-19 should reach out to the UA COVID Support Program for guidance. The program, which is housed within CCHS, is available to assist faculty, staff and students through the process.

“Proper face coverings, social distancing and frequent sanitizing are proven preventive measures while testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine are the tools we have to mitigate spread across campus,” Friend said. “These are all effective strategies as we move forward together.”