COVID-19
Frequently asked questions related to screening and testing for COVID-19 such as: Who should I contact if I think I need to be tested for COVID-19? What should I do if I test positive? What should I do if I test negative?
Screening and Testing for COVID-19
Students
Updated: January 14, 2021
All students, staff and faculty who answer yes to any of the questions found on the current version of the COVID-19 Daily Self-Screening Questions must complete the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form. Completing the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form allows UTRGV to help each individual receive the proper guidance, care, and testing to protect themselves and those around them.
Updated 10/26/2020
Please follow the UTRGV Employee/Student Self-Screening & Reporting Process. See below:
Self-Screening
Each day, prior to visiting any UTRGV campus/off-campus facilities, university students and employees must review and answer the current version of the COVID-19 Daily Self-Screening Questions regarding COVID-19-related symptoms.
Do not access the campus/off-campus facilities if:
- You answered yes to any of the screening questions.
- You have been in close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period).
- You tested positive for COVID-19 and have not been officially released by a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team.
Reporting
Instead of accessing campus/off-campus facilities:
- Communicate with your instructor/supervisor (If you are a student employee please communicate with both you instructor and supervisor.)
- Fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form. You will receive an immediate email response from the COVID-19 Response Team.
The COVID-19 Response Team is responsible for identifying and contacting others who may have been at risk. - Students or employees may not return to UTRGV premises until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
If you develop symptoms or start to feel unwell while on campus, follow the same process:
- Leave campus/work immediately.
- Contact your instructor/supervisor so arrangements can be made with you to complete your academic requirements/work assignments.
- Fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form.
- Wait for instructions from the COVID-19 Response Team.
Students should follow these steps:
- Do not access any UTRGV campus/off campus facilities.
- Communicate with your professors, program or clerkship directors.
- Fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form.
- Do not call Student Health for COVID-19 appointments.
- Your completed Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form will be sent to and reviewed by a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team.
- Based on the results, you will be contacted to determine the appropriate plan of action and told to either quarantine, isolate, get tested, or return to UTRGV premises.
- Students may not return to UTRGV premises until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
If the preliminary screening determines that you need to be tested:
- Your information will be reviewed, and a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team will reach out to you to provide further guidance.
- Students may not return to UTRGV premises until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
If you test positive for the virus:
- You must continue isolation.
- If you have not done so, fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form.
- You will receive a call from the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team who will investigate the case and identify any close contacts.
- Contact your Primary Care Provider immediately for continued care.
- If you have trouble breathing, chest pain, etc. go directly to the Emergency Room.
Any individual testing positive must self-isolate and will not be permitted to return to in-person activities until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
Updated 09/22/2020
If you test negative for the virus:
- Email a copy of the testing results to the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team.
- Wait for an “Official Release to Campus Notification” email from the COVID-19 Response Team.
- Contact your Primary Care Provider for continued care, especially if any symptoms arise.
- You may be required to get tested even if you do not show symptoms.
- You will need to contact your school or department and follow their respective process.
- You will fill out a form, which will be sent to the Call Center (1-833-UTRGVMD)
- You will be contacted by phone and provided an appointment time to get tested at one of the four UT Health RGV COVID-19 Testing Drive-Thru sites.
Updated 01/14/2021
Close contact means that a person has been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, even when wearing a mask. The CDC recommends avoiding close contact with others to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by properly wearing a face covering and keeping 6-feet distancing from other people at all times.
Faculty
Updated: January 14, 2021
All students, staff and faculty who answer yes to any of the questions found on the current version of the COVID-19 Daily Self-Screening Questions must complete the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form. Completing the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form allows UTRGV to help each individual receive the proper guidance, care, and testing to protect themselves and those around them.
Updated 10/26/2020
Please follow the UTRGV Employee/Student Self-Screening & Reporting Process. See below:
Self-Screening
Each day, prior to visiting any UTRGV campus/off-campus facilities, university students and employees must review and answer the current version of the Daily Self-Screening Questions regarding COVID-19-related symptoms.
Do not access the campus/off-campus facilities if:
- You answered yes to any of the screening questions.
- You have been in close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period).
- You tested positive for COVID-19 and have not been officially released by a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team.
Reporting
Instead of accessing campus/off-campus facilities:
- Communicate with your instructor/supervisor (If you are a student employee please communicate with both you instructor and supervisor.)
- Fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form. You will receive an immediate email response from the COVID-19 Response Team.
The COVID-19 Response Team is responsible for identifying and contacting others who may have been at risk. - Students or employees may not return to UTRGV premises until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
If you develop symptoms or start to feel unwell while on campus, follow the same process:
- Leave campus/work immediately.
- Contact your instructor/supervisor so arrangements can be made with you to complete your academic requirements/work assignments.
- Fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form.
- Wait for instructions from the COVID-19 Response Team.
Please follow this process:
- First and foremost, due to federal privacy laws, you may not disclose to anyone the medical information that has been shared with you by the student/employee.
- Instead, please direct them to the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form. There is one form for both employees and students.
- After the form is completed, a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team will reach out to the affected student/employee to obtain more information and provide further guidance.
- The COVID-19 Response Team is responsible for identifying and contacting others who may be at risk.
- Students/employees may not return to UTRGV premises until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 response team.
- Lastly, instructors/supervisors should make arrangements to help the student/employee complete their academic requirements/work assignments until a student is cleared to return.
Updated 07/14/2020
If you answered "Yes" to any of the COVID-19 Daily Self-Screeing Questions:
- Your information will be reviewed, and a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team will reach out to you to provide further guidance.
- Employees may not return to work until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
Updated 09/22/2020
If you test positive for the virus:
- You must continue isolation.
- If you have not done so, fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form.
- You will receive a call from the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team who will investigate the case and identify any close contacts.
- Contact your Primary Care Provider immediately for continued care.
- If you have trouble breathing, chest pain, etc. go directly to the Emergency Room.
Any individual testing positive must self-isolate and will not be permitted to return to in-person activities until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
Updated 09/22/2020
If you test negative for the virus:
- Email a copy of the testing results to the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team.
- Wait for an “Official Release to Campus Notification” email from the COVID-19 Response Team.
- Contact your Primary Care Provider for continued care, especially if any symptoms arise.
Updated 01/14/2021
Close contact means that a person has been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, even when wearing a mask. The CDC recommends avoiding close contact with others to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by properly wearing a face covering and keeping 6-feet distancing from other people at all times.
Staff
Updated: January 14, 2021
All students, staff and faculty who answer yes to any of the questions found on the current version of the COVID-19 Daily Self-Screening Questions must complete the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form. Completing the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form allows UTRGV to help each individual receive the proper guidance, care, and testing to protect themselves and those around them.
Updated 10/26/2020
Please follow the UTRGV Employee/Student Self-Screening & Reporting Process. See below:
Self-Screening
Each day, prior to visiting any UTRGV campus/off-campus facilities, university students and employees must review and answer the current version of the Daily Self-Screening questions regarding COVID-19-related symptoms.
Do not access the campus/off-campus facilities if:
- You answered yes to any of the screening questions.
- You have been in close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period).
- You tested positive for COVID-19 and have not been officially released by a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team.
Reporting
Instead of accessing campus/off-campus facilities:
- Communicate with your instructor/supervisor (if you are a student employee please communicate with both you instructor and supervisor.)
- Fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form. You will receive an immediate email response from the COVID-19 Response Team.
- The COVID-19 Response Team is responsible for identifying and contacting others who may have been at risk.
- Students or employees may not return to UTRGV premises until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
If you develop symptoms or start to feel unwell while on campus, follow the same process:
- Leave campus/work immediately.
- Contact your instructor/supervisor so arrangements can be made with you to complete your academic requirements/work assignments.
- Fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form.
- Wait for instructions from the COVID-19 Response Team.
Updated 07/22/2020
Employees should follow these steps:
- Do not access any UTRGV campus/off campus facilities.
- Communicate with your supervisor.
- Fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form.
- Do not call Employee Health for COVID-19 appointments.
- Your completed Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form will be sent to and reviewed by a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team.
- Based on the results, you will be contacted to determine the appropriate plan of action and told to either quarantine, isolate, get tested, or return to work.
- Employees may not return to work until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
Updated 07/14/2020
If the preliminary screening determines that you need to be tested:
- Your information will be reviewed, and a member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team will reach out to you to provide further guidance.
- Employees may not return to work until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
Updated 09/22/2020
If you test positive for the virus:
- You must continue isolation.
- If you have not done so, fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form.
- You will receive a call from the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team who will investigate the case and identify any close contacts.
- Contact your Primary Care Provider immediately for continued care.
- If you have trouble breathing, chest pain, etc. go directly to the Emergency Room.
Any individual testing positive must self-isolate and will not be permitted to return to in-person activities until they are released by a member of the COVID-19 Response Team.
Updated 09/22/2020
If you test negative for the virus:
- Email a copy of the testing results to the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team.
- Wait for an “Official Release to Campus Notification” email from the Covid Response Team.
- Contact your Primary Care Provider for continued care, especially if any symptoms arise.
Added 08/24/2020
Tell the student/employee to fill out the Preliminary COVID-19 Screening Form. You should make arrangements to help the student/employee complete their academic requirements/work assignments. A member of the UTRGV COVID-19 Response Team is responsible for identifying and contacting others who may have been at risk.
Updated 01/14/2021
Close contact means that a person has been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, even when wearing a mask. The CDC recommends avoiding close contact with others to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by properly wearing a face covering and keeping 6-feet distancing from other people at all times.