St. John Fisher College has announced that testing is mandatory every week for all students this semester to help control the spread of COVID-19. Before  arriving on campus for the spring semester, all students were required to take a “pre-arrival” test. This test was offered at an on-campus testing site located at Murphy hall.

But prior to Fisher announcing that there was a testing site at the school, students were concerned about where to get a COVID-19 test. The tests given at the on-campus testing site were rapid antigen tests and results were received on the Navica app within 15 minutes of testing. 

“I really like the idea of weekly testing,” sophomore Kayleigh Balock said, “Although our age group have a very low risk of suffering the consequences from COVID-19, it’s very transferable to the Fisher and Rochester communities.” The weekly testing is not just about the Fisher students, it is also about our families and our staff. To ensure their health and safety. 

One noticeable change this semester is the implication of the Navica App. This app is how students  receive their  test results after being tested on campus. It is recommended to sign up with your Fisher email address and make sure your organization is listed as “St. John Fisher College”. 

In addition, this semester Fisher is being more lenient with rules about visiting other residential halls. Students must make sure to sign in at the desk at the entrance  of each residential hall before going up into a dorm. Masks must still be worn, and there will be a  limit on the number of visitors in each room. Students are allowed to have the number of residents they live with, plus two. For example, students in a double room can have four students in a room. This is to make contact tracing more efficient than last semester. 

When residential students arrived on campus for move-in, they were tested at theMurphy Hall testing site. Commuter students got tested within the first three days of classes. The testing process may seem like a lot, but it goes fast and smoothly.

Residential testing will take place every week, Thursdays and Fridays according to  residence halls in the Field House at the Athletic Center. “I think the weekly testing is a good idea,” First year student Kelly Cournoyer said, adding that she’s excited to be back on campus., “By being tested every week I think it makes campus a safer place.” 

According to the school, Fisher has done 9,357 on campus tests since January 1. There have been only seven positive cases from these tests.