UAlbany Supports COVID-19 Testing Efforts

Dear UAlbany Community:

As a public research university with strong ties to the community, the University at Albany stands poised to serve the state in its extensive efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

Consequently, effective Monday, April 6, UAlbany will turn its Colonial Quad parking lot over to the Department of State to serve as a drive-through testing site. As you may know, drive-through sampling sites are a critical part of the Governor’s strategy to combat COVID-19. These facilities reduce density and the potential for spread by keeping those potentially affected out of area healthcare facilities and hospitals.

The testing site will be minimally impactful on the campus and pose no direct health risk to our campus community.

The drive-through testing site will cause some of the roadways around the University to be temporarily blocked off. Please avoid driving to the northwest corner of the campus given the road closures. The map below will provide further guidance on what roadways and entrances will be affected.

Residents who believe they have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, and have symptoms, must call the state’s COVID-19 hotline at 888-364-3065, be approved for testing, and be given a PIN number. Upon arriving at the site, only those with a valid PIN number will be allowed to enter and will be ushered through a series of checkpoints. Please know that no walk-in or unscheduled testing will be allowed.

The testing area will be self-sufficient with access to bathroom facilities and waste collection dedicated to those working in the tents. NYS Police, the National Guard and our own UPD officers will be onsite to help facilitate this important effort.

Given that the key to eradicating this virus is to increase testing, we are very pleased to be part of this effort. As you know, community engagement is a core priority at UAlbany.

Working together, we can and will move through this crisis.
 

Sincerely,