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COVID-19 Asymptomatic Testing

COVID-19 Asymptomatic Testing Requirements

Academic Appointees, Staff, and Students: NOT Fully Vaccinated

  • Students living on campus

    • Two COVID-19 tests per week

  • Academic appointees, staff, and students who do not live on campus

    • One COVID-19 test per week

Academic Appointees, Staff, and Students: Fully Vaccinated

  • Lot Quality Asymptomatic (LQA) screening will be required for vaccinated individuals and should expect to take no more than two COVID-19 tests a semester.

  • Asymptomatic screening in addition to LQA screening is optional for vaccinated individuals. Vaccinated academic appointees, staff and students may utilize UC Merced sponsored testing at no cost.

Testing participants will provide a saliva sample at a COVID-19 testing kiosk on campus. The COVID-19 testing is cost-free to UC Merced students and employees, and it provides rapid results in 24-48 hours. COVID-19 test results from campus sponsored tests are automatically uploaded and require no further action by individuals to be compliant with the program. Those who are not Fully Vaccinated may choose to utilize a certified testing laboratory at their own expense, and are required to upload COVID-19 test results to UC Merced’s occupational health portal (Work Health Solutions) to be compliant with the Asymptomatic Screening Program.

Location and Hours

Location
California Room in the Terraces Center
 

Current Hours *
Monday 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Tuesday: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday: 8:30 am - 12:00 pm

* Holidays Excluded

How Saliva Testing Works

To find out whether they have COVID-19, testing participants provide a saliva sample at the COVID-19 testing site on campus. Check out these Technical FAQs for more information.

 

BEFORE YOUR TESTING APPOINTMENT:

  • Please stay well hydrated and drink plenty of fluids 1 hour before your appointment.
  • Before arriving at the testing facility, you must complete the Daily Health Check-In and be prepared to show your green screen result for entry.
  • In the 30 minutes before your test, do not eat, drink, chew gum, smoke or brush your teeth.
  • Everyone waiting in line at the kiosk will need to do their part to follow campus safety rules, including wearing a face covering and following physical distancing guidelines.

 

AT THE TESTING SITE:

Watch this instructional YouTube video!

You will be asked to sanitize your hands and provide your appointment QR code at a registration table. You will receive a straw, a pipette bulb with purified water, and a vial with a barcode. Then you’ll follow this seven-step process, as seen in the video.

  1. Once asked, remove the cap from the vial and place it in the provided tray. Don’t lose the cap.
  2. Tip the water from the pipette bulb into your mouth and gently swirl it around (do not gargle).
  3. Place the straw in the vial, but be careful not to push the straw so far that it creates a seal.
  4. Place your lips on the straw and push saliva through the straw into the vial.
  5. After filling the vial a little more than halfway, remove the straw and place it in the tray.
  6. Securely place the cap back on the vial and place the vial into the container.
  7. The attendant will take your sample. Sanitize your hands and exit.

COVID-19 Saliva Testing Instructions

Students (Undergraduate and Graduate)

UC Merced Students must log in to MyHealth Portal to make an appointment for asymptomatic COVID-19 testing and view their results.

 

Staff and Faculty (non-Students)

Rapid Results Saliva Testing at UC Merced Campus

If you are a Student, do NOT use the process below. In the case of C19 Testing, you are considered a Student first. Please see the Student section above, and follow those procedures.

UC Merced Staff and Faculty need to sign the following forms to be eligible for testing:

  1. SHS Notice of Privacy Practices
  2. Notice and Informed Consent for Employees for Voluntary COVID-19 Testing at SHS
    (sign this during the appointment-making process in MyHealth Portal)

Once these forms are completed, UC Merced Staff and Faculty can log in to MyHealth Portal to make an appointment for asymptomatic COVID-19 testing and subsequently view their results.

If you are not regularly active on campus, you are not eligible for campus testing at this time, and you should not schedule testing appointments.