Surveillance Testing Plan
Spring surveillance testing
Updated April 2022.
With low campus COVID-19 case numbers and the campus community’s continued commitment to protecting Purdue, Purdue University is suspending routine surveillance testing for COVID-19 for students and employees on our West Lafayette campus, effective April 1. More information can be found here.
We will continue on-demand targeted testing, as needed, for individuals and groups, vaccinated and unvaccinated, where potential spread of infection is possible and case numbers might be growing.
Routine surveillance testing details
- Students and employees in any of the following categories have been previously required to participate in routine surveillance testing, which has been as frequently as weekly. If a change in circumstances arises – such as a surge in case numbers or new variants emerge – routine surveillance testing could be reinstated.
- Individuals who choose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (excluding employees designated as 100% remote). If you choose to get vaccinated and submit proof of being fully vaccinated (both doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine), please allow approximately two weeks to be removed from the surveillance testing pool.
- Individuals who choose not to submit proof of vaccination to the university.
- Individuals who receive a vaccine that is not recognized by the Protect Purdue Health Center.
- Individuals who are partially vaccinated, until such time that they submit proof of full vaccination to the university, allowing approx. two weeks to be removed from the surveillance testing pool.
- Employees designated as critical to the continuity of core university operations (e.g., police, fire, medical, utility operators and others) who choose not to be vaccinated will be required to continue to participate in weekly surveillance testing.
- Students and employees who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and have valid documentation on-file with the university will not be asked to participate in routine surveillance testing. If you choose to get vaccinated during the semester and submit proof of being fully vaccinated (both doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine), please allow approximately two weeks to be removed from the surveillance testing pool.
- Employees designated as 100% remote will not be asked to participate in routine surveillance testing.
IN ADDITION TO THIS DEFINED STRATEGY: Contact tracing, data and insights will be utilized to supplement routine surveillance testing with targeted testing of close contacts on an as-needed basis and regardless of vaccination status.
All who need to be tested through the ongoing surveillance program will be notified by email and will be given specific instructions on where they can be tested and how long they have to comply.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 result on file with the Protect Purdue Health Center will be excluded from surveillance testing for 90 days after the test date.
Surveillance Testing FAQ
The Office of the Dean of Students will handle all student violations involving failure to participate in routine surveillance testing.
- First time: Conduct Warning
- Second time: Probated Suspension
- Third time: Suspension
If an employee is not compliant, they are subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment, as follows:
Staff:
- First time: written warning and staff member must test as soon as possible.
- Second time: final written warning and staff member may not return to campus until a negative test result is achieved. Remote work, paid vacation or personal leave must be used pending compliance. Clear warning that failure to comply in the future will result in termination of employment.
- Third time: termination of employment.
Faculty, regardless of tenure status:
- First time: written warning and faculty must test as soon as possible.
- Second time: final written warning and faculty may not return to campus until a negative test result is achieved. Clear warning that failure to comply in the future will result in placement in unpaid leave status.
- Third time: placed on unpaid leave until a negative result is provided.
Yes. Once you’re fully vaccinated (received both doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine) and have submitted valid proof of vaccination to Purdue, you will be excused from surveillance testing approximately two weeks thereafter.
No, you will need to complete surveillance testing until you are fully vaccinated (e.g., received both doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine) and have submitted valid proof of vaccination to Purdue. You will be excused from surveillance testing approximately two weeks thereafter.
If you are an employee, please email employeetest@purdue.edu. If you are a student, please email surveillancetesting@purdue.edu.
You will be contacted by a nurse case manager from the Protect Purdue Health Center. You will be required to self-isolate and not attend classes, report to work or participate in any other public activity. A nurse case manager will help you coordinate the self-isolation process. After you have completed the self-isolation period PPHC will provide you with the documentation necessary to return to campus activity.
To receive your results fastest, sign up for Healow to access your results as soon as they are available from the lab. You will find information on how to create an account with Healow at the testing site.
Those who test positive will receive results by phone from PPHC. Those who test negative will receive an email (sample email). If you do not receive a phone call after 48 hours, you can safely assume your test was negative; you may email pphctesting@121.health to confirm.
Results from PPHC testing are available 24-72 hours after the test. To receive your results faster, sign up for Healow to access your results as soon as they are available from the lab. You will find information on how to create an account with Healow at the testing site.
If you have any questions about your results, you may email pphctesting@121.health.
No, you should complete the surveillance testing using the instructions included in your email. If you are absolutely unable to do so, please email employeetest@purdue.edu (employees) or surveillancetesting@purdue.edu (students). Limited exceptions will be made.
The process is designed to be as efficient as possible. The surveillance testing sampling strategy is intended to spread volume across days and time blocks to allow for an efficient process.
Both symptomatic and asymptomatic testing are conducted by PPHC, but in different areas of the building
If you are an employee, please email employeetest@purdue.edu. If you are a student, please email surveillancetesting@purdue.edu. Limited exceptions will be made.
If you are an employee, please email employeetest@purdue.edu. If you are a student, please email surveillancetesting@purdue.edu.