Rowan University Offering Free COVID-19 Tests to Students and Faculty

In an effort to keep up with contact tracing and help keep students, employees, and their families safe before holiday gatherings, Rowan University is offering free testing for coronavirus.

Both the saliva and nasal type of COVID-19 tests will be available starting November 16, prior to the institution's break for Thanksgiving, reports Patch.com.

Faculty working from home will be given the option of self-administered, at-home testing.

Should a student test positive prior to Thanksgiving, he or she can choose to isolate on at Triad Hall on Rowan's Glassboro campus, and school staff will reportedly continue to monitor that student's health and offer meals.

It would be amazing if more colleges offered a similar program. It's been heartbreaking to witness the many campus outbreaks of coronavirus as students heading back to school. 575 Rowan students an employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the 2020 fall semester began. Rowan's Glassboro campus is home to more than 4,000 students, according to Patch.com.

Of the safety measure, Rowan University President Ali A. Houshmand tells Patch.com, "We know that the virus spreads most often among people who know each other—family members and friends. By offering testing, we can do our part to keep all members of our extended Rowan University family safe."

Coronavirus remains a threat in New Jersey. Earlier this week, Governor Phil Murphy announced there have been more than 1,600 new COVID-19 positive cases in the Garden State just in the last nine days. He has recommended that residents keep their socializing circle small, and to avoid large gatherings whenever possible, even asking families to scale back the number of people they have over to celebrate Thanksgiving.

SOURCES: 6abc.com; Patch.com via Gloucester Twp. Patch/Facebook

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