Coronavirus Update
COVID-19 Testing Updates and New Monitoring System Implementation
As Bowie State approaches the two-month mark in the university’s comprehensive COVID-19 testing protocol, summary data shows a consistently low number of positive cases. With 2,871 tests completed, only 39 positive cases have been reported to the university, including self-reported results from off-campus students and employees. This amounts to a less than 2 percent positivity rate among members of the campus community. The continuing commitment of students, faculty and staff in observing social distancing, wearing masks and hand washing has made all the difference in protecting the campus from significant spread of the virus.
Transition to New COVID-19 Monitoring System
Refinement of our monitoring and reporting systems is ongoing. We are now able to include faculty and staff in the Wellness Center Patient Portal to streamline reporting and monitoring of COVID-19 test results and daily screening. Faculty and staff should not enter any other medical information into the portal. The system will provide a color-coded status badge to display for campus access at the entrance checkpoint. This will simplify access for faculty and staff who only come to campus periodically.
The system is set to activate on Monday, Oct. 19. Employees will receive a new daily screening survey from the Wellness Center each morning that requires login with your BSU username and password. The new survey includes just four questions. You will also be able to make appointments for COVID-19 testing directly in the portal. The status of your compliance with the daily screening and testing every 30 days will be reflected in the color-coded badge that you can access online or on your phone. A green or yellow badge will allow easy access through the entrance checkpoint and to some campus buildings.
Badge Status Interpretation-
Green means cleared = COVID-19 test is negative and the daily COVID-19 survey has been completed within 24 hours
Yellow means overdue items = no daily COVID-19 survey submitted or test last performed greater than 30 days
Red means no access to campus = COVID-19 positive or exposed to COVID-19 individual
This new system provides another layer of continuous monitoring in the university’s efforts to detect and prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the campus community.
Ongoing Testing
COVID-19 testing for residential students will be available next week, Oct. 19 – 21 from 9 a.m. – 3:30 pm. in the Center for Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Nursing, rooms 1224 and 1225. Testing is available each week, Monday – Wednesday, on a rotating basis for employees/commuter students and residential students. The testing schedule is available in the Health and Safety Protocol page of the COVID-19 Updates web section.
As always, please direct any questions through emails to covid19@bowiestate.edu. Be safe and take care.