Effort is part of a comprehensive strategy to safely welcome college students to Burlington
Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont and Champlain College students who are returning to Burlington can get tested for COVID-19 at sites on the UVM campus. The specimen collection is being done in collaboration with the Vermont Department of Health, and with the assistance of trained members of the Vermont National Guard.
Dedicated testing for UVM students will begin Monday, June 8 and will continue on weekdays through Tuesday, June 16. Champlain College students can be tested on June 9, 11 and 16. Champlain College student testing will be coordinated by Champlain Student Health Center and collected by UVM Student Health Center staff on the UVM campus. Area residents, including students, can get tested by VDH June 3-6 and 17-19. All tests are by appointment only. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on all dates.
To make an appointment:
- UVM students: Sign up through the university’s MyWellbeing secure health information portal.
- Champlain College students: Call the Champlain Student Health Center at 802-860-2711.
- Area residents: Register online at https://humanresources.vermont.gov/popups
State of Vermont requirements and Health Department guidelines call for students and others returning from out of state to self-quarantine for 14 days. People who are symptom-free on day 7 of their quarantine can be tested. If the test is negative, they can end their quarantine.
Test results are generally available within 24-48 hours. UVM students who test positive will get a call from a UVM or Health Department professional. Those who test negative will get their results via the MyWellbeing portal. Champlain students will hear directly from their medical director. Students will be given further guidance and recommendations for their ongoing care, as well as isolation strategies to keep others safe. The Health Department’s contact tracing team will work with students to identify individuals who may need to be tested and possibly placed under quarantine. Students are advised to keep a log of the people with whom they had close contact, in order to help with any tracing that may be needed.
“This partnership between the college and university, and the level of support from the Health Department and members of the National Guard, to protect the health of our students and staff is another important example of what makes our community so special,” said Dr. Michelle Paavola, medical director for UVM’s Center for Health and Wellbeing. “We all have a stake in keeping each other healthy, and I encourage all our students to get tested, to follow physical distancing guidelines and to wear a mask when near others.”
Student testing for COVID-19 is part of a comprehensive strategy to promote safety in the community as students return to the city. Working with city officials, UVM and Champlain have also conducted extensive planning and communications to help manage students moving into Burlington apartments in early June. Efforts include student surveys, a live remote event, a special issue of the off-campus newsletter, as well as a Burlington City Council presentation. UVM and Champlain have also been working closely with local, state and federal officials, as part of Vermont’s pandemic response.
The City of Burlington—which recognizes that students are a critical part of what makes Burlington such a vibrant and livable community—has been an active partner with the schools, and is appealing to students to follow all the guidelines in order to help keep the community safe.
City officials are also offering a supportive quarantine service to students, which includes a daily check-in to see if they need help accessing essential supplies like medications or groceries, and the delivery of a care package containing a face mask and other necessary supplies. During the month of June there will be outreach efforts to off-campus students to support them and help them follow the governor’s Be Smart, Stay Safe order.
For COVID-19 health information and guidance, visit healthvermont.gov/covid19.
Visit the Health Department’s Traveling to Vermont page: healthvermont.gov/covid19-travel