For home testing: Obtain a self-test and follow the directions included in the package. There is no requirement for a specific brand of testing. Kits may be in short supply, but are available online and in drug stores. You can explore availability at your local pharmacies. If you have time to plan ahead, every home in the U.S. is now eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests at covidtests.gov. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.
For community testing: Visit the Community-Based Testing Sites page on the Department of Health and Human Services website to find a location.
Upon guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in alignment with Rush University Medical Center’s Return to Work Guidelines, Rush University has updated the process to return to campus following a positive COVID-19 test to no longer require a negative COVID-19 test to return to campus.
Beginning on day five, students should ask themselves two questions:
*Reminder: Day 0 is your first day of symptoms or a positive viral test.
As soon as you can answer yes to both questions, any time from days 5 to 9, you may return to campus the next day. If you continue to have symptoms after day 10 that prevent return to campus self-clearance, contact a health care provider for follow-up care.
As part of the Student Health COVID-19 positive process, students with a positive result should email Student Health and fill out the Student COVID-19 Positive Test Submission REDCap Form. Please report all positive test results including those received at a Rush facility, community-based testing site, or a home test.
Clearance for return to campus is a self-guided process. Student Health will not provide clearance and will not require further screening documentation.
Note: If you are also a Rush employee and test positive, please make sure to review and follow the most current Return to Work Guidelines as published by Rush Employee and Corporate Health Services. If you have additional questions, please contact EmployeeCOVIDTesting@rush.edu.
We strongly encourage those who have not yet received a booster vaccine to schedule an appointment via MyChart, as it is clear that vaccination with a booster shot remains the best protection from the further spread of COVID-19. You can also find vaccine appointments throughout Chicago with this Chicago vaccine finder.
Please continue to closely adhere to hand hygiene, masking and distancing guidelines, as these measures are also critical to slow the spread in our community. As this situation is constantly evolving, some of the information in this update may change.
If you have any questions about University policy, please email Student Health at Student_Health@rush.edu.
For the latest COVID-19 pandemic information, visit rush.edu/covid19.