Sent: 2021-01-14
From: EIU
To: Various Recipients
Subject: COVID Surveilance Testing at EIU
To Our EIU Family –
Today, I’m happy to bring you some good news about COVID testing at EIU. Eastern has entered into an agreement with SHIELD Illinois to bring widespread saliva testing to our campus communities. This increased level of testing will deliver another layer of protection to our campus and further safeguard the health and wellness of our students, our employees, and our broader community.
EIU’s partnership with SHIELD program will begin Tuesday, January 19, and allow us to conduct free weekly COVID surveillance testing, complete with a 24-hour turnaround time for test results. Each week, 500 students and employees will be randomly selected for participation. Everyone’s participation is intensely encouraged. Each week, students who complete their assigned testing will be eligible to enter a drawing for a $25 gift card.
Below are the main summary details:
SHIELD tests are saliva-based, non-invasive, and take only a few moments to perform.
Testing at EIU will be held weekly, Monday through Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to noon on Court 5 of the Student Rec Center. Participants will enter through the exterior doors on the Northwest side of the building (not the main Student Rec Center doors). Anyone with accessibility issues can make special arrangements to take the SHIELD tests in a nearby location, or to remain in their vehicle for testing in a nearby reserved lot. Note: Next week’s testing will be limited to Tuesday and Wednesday due to Monday’s federal holiday.
Tomorrow, all EIU students and employees will receive an activation email from MySHIELDIllinois (no-reply@illinois.edu) with a link, activation code, and instructions on how to sign up for the MyShield Patient Portal.
In the coming weeks, individuals selected for testing will receive an email and text message directing them to a website to fill out a consent form. Once completed, they will be directed to the portal to register for their testing date/time.
More detailed information about EIU’s COVID-19 SHIELD testing is available at go.eiu.edu/covidtest. General questions about the SHIELD testing program itself may be sent to shield@eiu.edu.
Thank you for your commitment to the health and safety of our entire EIU Family,COVID Surveilance Testing at EIU
