Dear Howard University Community,

I am pleased to inform you that the internal laboratory for COVID-19 testing, supported by Thermo-Fisher® is now operational, and has completed a series of validation checks. Beginning this week, all COVID-19 tests will be processed through this internal laboratory. This will greatly expedite the processing time for testing results.  Tests conducted between August 17 – September 11, 2020 have been contracted through LabCorp. The testing conducted by LabCorp is free of charge for faculty, staff and students. If students inadvertently receive a bill for testing, please submit to the Student Health Center at this email address, studenthealthforms@howard.edu, so that the University will process the bill on your behalf.  As a reminder, faculty, students and staff, if they will plan to be on campus this semester, should present a negative COVID-19 result, or be tested on campus. The test result must be within seven days of your return to campus.

Testing

COVID-19 testing for students will continue in the Student Health Center during regular business hours, Monday – Friday.  Please call 202-806-7540, or email studenthealthforms@howard.edu to schedule an appointment. Howard University Employees may obtain COVID Testing at Howard University Hospital, Towers Building, Suite 3600. The testing hours of operation are:

• Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Testing is conducted by appointment only, and employees must present with their Howard University ID. To schedule an appointment, please call 202-865-2107.

Individuals who are tested off campus should upload their results to the following secured email addresses with the information noted below: 

• For students, results can be emailed to Student Health at SHCscreening@howard.edu, Subject line: COVID @student ID  [Ex: COVID @029999999]
• For employees, results can be emailed to this encrypted email address -  huemployeefpp@howard.edu, Subject line: COVID Result, or physical copy provided to the FPP office.

For encryption to be maintained, results should be emailed from a howard.edu email address.

Training and Research Modules

In addition to a negative test result, everyone returning to campus must complete the mandatory online COVID-19 training, Health and Safety Institute (HSI)  -(https://otis.osmanager4.com/#/saml/login/2689863). Additional information will be provided this week regarding the student training module, which is being relocated to a new online platform. Also, for researchers, please complete the CITI training available for researchers online (https://about.citiprogram.org/en/series/covid-19-back-to-campus/).

Campus Access

To confirm clearance to access campus, faculty and staff must contact the appropriate Dean and/or Director and have completed the steps mentioned above regarding a negative test within seven days, and completion of the training and research modules.

Bison Safe COVID-19 Screening App

Please also download the Bison Safe app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store for required daily screening. The COVID-19 screening in the Bison Safe app must be conducted each day, prior to arrival on campus.

Thank you.

Excellence In Truth and Service,

Anthony K. Wutoh, Ph.D., R.Ph.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer