Campus Life

University updates fall COVID-19 testing schedules ahead of upcoming breaks

Testing periods and operating hours for UHS and testing sites across the Commonwealth modified for Thanksgiving, winter breaks

Heidi Weyany, left, and Lauren Imer prepare sample trays and the timers that are required for reading COVID-19 test results. Both are COVID-19 test supervisors working at the student test facility currently set up in Penn State's White Building gymnasium. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – As Penn State prepares for the Thanksgiving and winter breaks, the University has updated COVID-19 testing schedules and operating hours for both campus health services and the COVID-19 Call Center. This information is for employees and students in the University’s currently established required testing program during fall 2021. This also includes information for drop-in testing at University Park.

Asymptomatic Required Testing and Compliance Schedule

For students and employees required to test this fall, the University has set defined dates for individuals to complete their COVID-19 test prior to the Thanksgiving and winter breaks. Individuals will receive notification via their Penn State email for their defined timeframes.

More information on required testing for spring 2022 is forthcoming.

Students

For students at University Park, the testing windows are:

  • Monday, Nov. 15 – Friday, Nov 19
  • Monday, Nov. 29 – Sunday, Dec. 5
  • Monday, Dec. 6 – Sunday, Dec. 12

 

For residential students at Abington, Altoona, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Greater Allegheny Harrisburg, Mont Alto and Schuylkill, as well as non-residential students at Behrend, Shenango and Wilkes-Barre (campuses with distributed testing), the testing windows are:

  • Tuesday, Nov. 16 – Monday, Nov. 22
  • Tuesday, Nov. 30 – Monday, Dec. 13

 

For students at Commonwealth Campuses with mail-in testing via Vault Health, the testing windows are:

  • Thursday, Nov. 18 – Wednesday, Dec. 1
  • Thursday, Dec. 2 – Wednesday, Dec. 8

 

Students at the Hershey campus will continue to test per the College of Medicine and College of Nursing testing plans already in place in that location.  

Employees

For employees at any location, the testing windows are:

  • Wednesday, Nov. 17 – Tuesday, Nov. 30
  • Wednesday, Dec. 1 – Tuesday, Dec. 7
  • Wednesday, Dec. 8 – Tuesday, Dec. 14

 

There will be no required testing for employees from Wednesday, Dec. 15, through Sunday, Jan. 2, due to the winter break. Faculty and staff who are traveling during their entire testing window should contact their Human Resources strategic partner or consultant to complete an exception form for that period.

University Park Drop-in Testing

Drop-in testing at the White Building on the University Park campus will remain available during the Thanksgiving and winter breaks. However, the site will be closed or have modified hours on some days.

From Nov. 29 through Dec. 12, the White Building testing site will operate under its normal hours. The White Building testing site will operate on the following schedule during and around Thanksgiving break:

  • Monday, Nov. 22: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 24: 9 to 11 a.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 25: Closed
  • Friday, Nov. 26: 9 to 11 a.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 27: Closed
  • Sunday, Nov. 28: 3 to 5 p.m.

 

The White Building testing site will operate on the following schedule during and around winter break:

  • Monday, Dec. 13, through Friday, Dec. 17: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 18: Closed
  • Sunday, Dec. 19: Closed
  • Monday, Dec. 20: 9 a.m. to noon
  • Tuesday, Dec. 21: Closed
  • Wednesday, Dec. 22: 9 a.m. to noon
  • Thursday, Dec. 23: Closed
  • Friday, Dec. 24: Closed
  • Saturday, Dec. 25: Closed
  • Sunday, Dec. 26: Closed
  • Monday, Dec. 27: 9 a.m. to noon
  • Tuesday, Dec. 28: Closed
  • Wednesday, Dec. 29: 9 a.m. to noon
  • Thursday, Dec. 30: Closed
  • Friday, Dec. 31: 9 a.m. to noon
  • Saturday, Jan. 1: Closed
  • Sunday, Jan. 2: Closed

 

The White Building testing location will begin spring hours on Monday, Jan. 3. Details on the spring semester testing hours are forthcoming.

Contact Tracing and Quarantine and Isolation

Contact Tracing and Q&I resources will be available as needed over the Thanksgiving and winter breaks.

COVID-19 Call Center

The COVID-19 Call Center, available for faculty, staff, students and their families, will be closed on Nov. 25 and 26, and closed from Dec. 20 through 31 for the winter break. The call center will resume regular hours starting Jan. 10 and will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The University VirusInfo website at virusinfo.psu.edu is the best source of information during the call center closure dates. 

University Health Services at University Park

University Health Services (UHS) will be closed several days around Thanksgiving and winter break. Key closures include:

  • Saturday, Nov. 20
  • Thursday, Nov. 25
  • Friday, Nov. 26
  • Saturday, Nov. 27
  • Saturday, Dec. 18, through Sunday, Jan. 2  

 

If a student needs care when University Health Services is closed, they may call the Nurse Advice Line at 814-863-4463. A nurse is available 24/7. In an emergency, students are advised to visit an urgent care center or the Emergency Department at Mount Nittany Medical Center.

UHS will continue to offer two options for symptomatic COVID-19 testing during operating hours to all undergraduate and graduate students. Students can get tested within UHS or use the testing boxes located at the second-floor entrance on the Student Health Center Building’s south side, facing Millennium Science Complex. Both testing options are offered when UHS is open and require an appointment. Students can schedule a virtual appointment online using myUHS. Students who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms when UHS is closed should seek out symptomatic testing at an outside medical provider.

UHS will resume regular operating hours on Monday, Jan. 3.

Health Services at the Commonwealth Campuses

Commonwealth Campus health centers will operate on modified schedules, including several closures, over the upcoming breaks. Specific operating schedules can be obtained by contacting the campus’ health center. If a student needs care when their campus health center is closed, they may call the Nurse Advice line at 814-863-4463. A nurse is available 24/7. In an emergency, students are advised to visit an urgent care center or a local emergency department.

University offices will be closed from Monday, Dec. 20, through Friday, Dec. 31, for winter break, which has been extended for 2021 to recognize the work of Penn State’s faculty and staff throughout the pandemic.

For the latest information on Penn State’s response to the pandemic, go to virusinfo.psu.edu.

Last Updated December 6, 2021