COVID-19 Testing

• Camden Campus Center 
  APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. Scheduling instructions are available on the COVID-19 Testing Instructions webpage.
  West ABC Conference Room (Lower Level)
  326 Penn Street
  Camden, NJ 08102
• Drop Boxes:
  • Science Building
    315 Penn Street, Camden
    Hours: Daily 7:30am-9pm with faculty/staff ID
  • Campus Center
    outside of West ABC Conference Room (Lower Level), 326 Penn Street, Camden
    Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-8pm,  Saturday and Sunday 11am-7pm
  • Nursing and Science Building
    530  Federal St, Camden
    Hours: 7 a.m.- 9 p.m.

• Robert Wood Johnson Medical Education Building
  One Robert Johnson Place
  New Brunswick, NJ 08903

 

• Sojourner Truth Apartments at The Yard
  APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. Scheduling instructions are available on the COVID-19 Testing Instructions webpage.
  40 College Avenue
  New Brunswick, NJ 08901

 

• Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
  APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. Scheduling instructions are available on the COVID-19 Testing Instructions webpage.
  William Levine Hall
  160 Frelinghuysen Rd.
  Piscataway, NJ 08854

 

• Busch/Livingston Health Center
  APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. Scheduling instructions are available on the COVID-19 Testing Instructions webpage.
  110 Hospital Road
  Piscataway, NJ 08854

 

• Drop Boxes:
  • College Avenue Student Center Lobby
    126 College Ave, New Brunswick
    Hours: Monday–Thursday,  8am–10pm, Friday 8am–5pm

 

• • Busch Student Center
    604 Bartholomew Road, Piscataway
    Hours: Monday–Thursday 8am – 10pm, Friday 8am–5pm

 

• • Livingston Student Center
    84 Joyce Kilmer Ave, Piscataway
    Hours: Monday – Thursday 8am–5pm, Friday 8am–5pm

 

• • Public Safety Building
    55 Paul Robeson Boulevard, New Brunswick

 

• • Ernest J Mario School of Pharmacy
    170 Frelinghuysen Rd. Piscataway
    Hours: Monday- Friday 8:30am – 3:30pm

 

• • Foran Hall (Swipe card access required)
    Cook Campus, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick
    Hours: Monday – Thursday 8am–7pm, Friday 8am–12pm, (NO PICK UP) Friday after 12 PM through Sunday)

 

• • Hurtado Health Center
    Available during health center hours M-F

 

• • Sojourner Truth Testing Site at the Yard
    Available during testing hours only

 

• • Medical Education Building (MEB) Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH)
    97 Paterson Street New Brunswick
    Hours: Open 8am, Sunday-2pm, Friday

 

• • Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI)
    170 Frelinghuysen Road
    Piscataway, NJ 08854
    Hours: Monday – Friday 8am-4pm

• Paul Robeson Campus Center
  APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. Scheduling instructions are available on the COVID-19 Testing Instructions webpage.
  Bergen Room 255-256
  350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
  Newark, NJ 07102
• Drop Boxes:
  • Woodward Hall
    91 Bleecker Street, Newark, NJ
    Hours: (open 24 hours)
  • 15 Washington Residence Hall
    15 Washington, Newark, NJ
    Hours: (open 24 hours)
  • PRCC Lobby
    350 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Newark, NJ
    Hours: (8am-7pm, may be limited to MWF) Available Sunday-Friday 12 noon

RBHS Newark 

• ADMC Building 16-18
  APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. Scheduling instructions are available on the COVID-19 Testing Instructions webpage.
  Contact: (973) 972-4604
  Hours: M-F, 9:30 am – 5 pm

• Grab-and-Go satellite pickup site
  Medical Sciences Building, Rosemary Gellene Room
  185 South Orange Ave, Newark NJ 07103
  Hours: M-F, 8:30-4

 

• Drop boxes: 

Rutgers University is currently offering SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing (for the active virus that leads to COVID-19) to employees and students who are working and learning on campus.

This strategic approach is informed by the guidance put forth by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and will use a combination of testing methods to test students and employees at higher risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19.

The university Testing Protocol Action Group will determine which groups of students or employees should be recommended and/or required to complete testing through the Rutgers COVID-19 testing program.

The university Testing Protocol Action Group will recommend SARS-CoV-2 testing based on risk assessments of individuals or groups to help mitigate the risk of transmission for strategic reasons. Testing will help detect asymptomatic occurrences of infection and prevent further transmission by enabling contact tracing and providing guidance about self-isolation and health precautions.

Testing is required for any Rutgers community member who is living, working, or learning on campus at least once a week. Effective 12/14/20 weekly testing is required for Rutgers community members who have already been approved for testing through the university Testing Protocol Action Group (TPAG). All others regularly on campus in the spring will be required to begin weekly testing beginning as early as 1/4/21 or upon return after break.

Testing strategy decisions will be based on risk assessments and other factors below, as well as case identification/outbreaks.

The university Testing Protocol Action Group is informed by:

• CDC and NJDOH Guidance
• Health system partner requirements
• Testing capacity/logistics

Risk assessments will be based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• Regular presence on campus (at least once per week on average)
• Ability to maintain physical distancing while completing activities on campus
• Working and/or learning in a patient-care environment
• Exposure to a confirmed COVID-19 case
• Congregate living environment (e.g. residence halls)
• Working and/or learning in an environment where they may expose individuals who are at risk for severe illness
• Other factors that may increase or decrease risk based on the evolving science and public health data

The university Testing Protocol Action Group is recommending SARS-CoV-2 testing based on regular presence on campus (at least once per week on average), and risk assessments of individuals or groups to help mitigate the risk of transmission for strategic reasons. If you have been notified that you are in a group identified for testing, it is because an administrator and supervisor in your department indicated that you are within a group that meets the criteria for recommended testing. Testing will help detect asymptomatic occurrences of infection and prevent further transmission by enabling contact tracing and providing guidance about self-isolation and health precautions.

The Rutgers testing program is not able to test all faculty, staff and students associated with Rutgers. Testing is required for any Rutgers community member who is living, working, or learning on campus at least once a week. Effective 12/14/20 weekly testing is required for Rutgers community members who have already been approved for testing through the university Testing Protocol Action Group (TPAG). All others regularly on campus in the spring will be required to begin weekly testing beginning as early as 1/4/21 or upon return after break.

Other Rutgers community members may also request testing by submitting a testing request form for TPAG review, but weekly testing is likely not necessary if they are not on campus regularly.

Rutgers employees who feel a group should be tested should work with their supervisor to review instructions and complete the Testing Request form. You can receive testing outside of the Rutgers testing program through your health care provider, local pharmacy or state testing site.

Individual testing requests should be directed to your personal health care provider. If you believe that your department should be tested, please direct that suggestion to your department leadership who may make a request for testing through the university Testing Protocol Action Group by completing the Testing Request form.

The safety and well-being of the Rutgers community is a shared responsibility among all of its members. All members of the Rutgers community should monitor symptoms daily and stay home if they are ill, wear face coverings to help reduce the spread of disease, practice social distancing, wash hands frequently, and wipe down frequently used surfaces. Performing these measures will help to prevent disease transmission.

Please visit the Returning to Rutgers plan shared on coronavirus.rutgers.edu to learn more about how the university is working to keep our community safe.

Yes. Rutgers does not recognize the antibody test as a valid test for purposes of identifying disease.

No.

Testing is required for any Rutgers community member who is living, working, or learning on campus at least once a week. Effective 12/14/20 weekly testing is required for Rutgers community members who have already been approved for testing through the university Testing Protocol Action Group (TPAG). All others regularly on campus in the spring will be required to begin weekly testing beginning as early as 1/4/21 or upon return after break.

Students moving in to on-campus housing must undergo COVID-19 PCR testing 7-10 days prior to move-in day. A second test will be done at move-in. Students should expect weekly testing while residing on-campus. Find more information at health.rutgers.edu/covid-19-testing.

Yes. Individuals are still required to obtain weekly testing after vaccination.

Rutgers is utilizing Saliva PCR tests for this program. The test is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization authorized molecular test that uses a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to identify the presence of viral transcripts which, if present, confirm an active infection of COVID-19.

The test meets FDA sensitivity and specificity standards for the detection of COVID-19. The use of saliva as the primary test material is directly comparable to all other sample types currently used for testing. Positive test results are very reliable; however, an individual could be tested too early in the course of their illness to detect the virus, resulting in a false negative test.

The university is offering the testing via drive-through clinics, walk-in services, and/or departmental distribution, based upon the needs of the group to be tested and the availability of resources.

Testing is available on all campuses to any member of the Rutgers community authorized to receive COVID-19 testing. Please make an appointment through the Return to Rutgers page: go.rutgers.edu/COVID-19-Testing. Detailed instructions on how to schedule and perform testing are available on our COVID-19 Testing Instructions webpage.

Walk-up testing is available by appointment. Grab and Go and Drop Box locations are also available on each campus.  View testing locations here.  (Please review appropriate campus status information before traveling – especially during inclement weather – for updated hours of operation)

Testing in the health care workforce will be coordinated with our health care system partners to provide as much consistency as possible.

Identifying information will never be shared publicly. Aggregate test results and total number of tests performed through the Rutgers strategic testing program are shared on the university’s testing program dashboard.

If you have already tested positive for COVID-19, you should not be retested at this time.

If you test positive you should not retest for COVID-19 within 90 days of that positive test, unless otherwise specifically authorized by Student Health or Occupational Health.

Yes, you can be tested again if you are in a group authorized by the university Testing Protocol Action Group for testing.

Repeat testing for particular groups may be required and would be subject to the review by the Testing Protocol Action Group.

Cyclical repeated testing in the absence of symptoms or a particular high-risk exposure may be recommended for select groups, but is not recommended for all groups at this time.

If you are experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19, you must stay home, notify your supervisor as soon as possible, and contact your personal health care provider or student health to discuss testing and treatment. Symptoms may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, loss of sense of smell or taste, or stomach upset.

The Rutgers testing program is designed for asymptomatic individuals in an attempt to contain the spread of disease through asymptomatic transmission.

The Rutgers testing program utilizes the Saliva PCR test to identify virus particles. Salvia is deposited into a test tube, similar to giving a specimen for the well-known commercial genetic testing companies. As compared with the nasopharyngeal swab method, this testing method reduces risk of transmission, reduces use of personal protective equipment, and can be done at home.

Yes, you can upload valid PCR test result documents to Rutgers Environmental Health and Safety COVID-19 Testing website. Only FDA authorized PCR tests will be accepted. Antibody tests are NOT acceptable.

Once you have been authorized to receive testing, you will receive a message from Student Health or Occupational Health or your department that offers guidance regarding how to receive testing and includes a testing questionnaire that must be completed on the Rutgers Environmental Health and Safety COVID-19 Testing website. Detailed instructions on how to schedule and perform testing are available on our COVID-19 Testing Instructions webpage. Testing will be organized through your department or school in conjunction with Occupational Health or Student Health

Those who have concerns about accessing their official university email account should work with their supervisor.

Claims for testing will be submitted by the lab to your health insurance. No copay or coinsurance fee is to be charged for COVID-19 related testing or services. Testing done through Rutgers Student Health or Rutgers COVID testing program is at zero cost to students. The test is billed through the students’ insurance. For students or employees who may not have health insurance, costs will be covered by the university. If a billing statement from Accurate Diagnostics Lab (ADL) is received for a COVID-19 test, please call ADL to answer information about your insurance (telephone: 732-839-0843). Please call even if you do not have health insurance. Uncovered or denied charges for COVID-19 testing will be paid by the university.

No.

Results will typically be available about 48–72 hours from the time the sample is submitted to the lab.

You will be notified via email when your test results are available for viewing. You can access your results by logging into the Rutgers Environmental Health and Safety COVID-19 Testing website using your NetID and password (two-step authentication is required — to enable two-step authentication, visit OIT for instructions). From the website you can print the test result and a clearance letter for your supervisor.

Those who have tested positive will receive phone notification from Occupational Health or Student Health.

A positive test indicates the presence of the novel coronavirus in the sample that was tested. Individuals who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 may never develop symptoms or you may develop symptoms in the future. It is possible to transmit the virus even in the absence of symptoms. You will need to self-isolate for at least 10 days to prevent transmission to others. If your test result is positive, someone from Occupational or Student Health will contact you to provide instructions and answer questions. In addition, you will be contacted by the local health department in an effort to identify any additional close contact you may have to help identify others who may be at risk for disease and again help to reduce transmission and contain the virus. Please notify your supervisor and contact UHR OneSource for appropriate leave information.

Rutgers will store the individual data in a secure electronic environment. While individual results will never be reported, aggregate results for all testing done through the Rutgers testing program will be tracked and reviewed by the Rutgers Testing Protocol Action Group to monitor community health.

All laboratories conducting testing are required by law to report results to the New Jersey Department of Health. The health care provider ordering the testing may also report positive testing to the local health department. Reporting positive cases to the local health department facilitates the processes for contact tracing—an important aspect of trying to reduce the transmission of disease. If you have tested positive, others you have come into contact with, including individuals in your workplace, may be contacted for contact tracing, but your name will not be released.

Your supervisor will be notified that you are not cleared to return to work to ensure that safety measures are being taken in your workplace. Your close contacts will be asked to quarantine for 10 days.

If you test positive you should not retest for COVID-19 within 90 days of that positive test, unless otherwise specifically authorized by Student Health or Occupational Health.

A negative test means that the novel coronavirus is not detected in the sample that was tested. Individuals who test negative may still become infected in the future and need to follow all recommended workplace and community precautions. There is a chance of a false negative. A second test within 1-3 weeks will often help reduce this false negative rate.

Rutgers will store the individual data in a secure electronic environment. While individual results will never be reported, aggregate results for all testing done through the Rutgers testing program will be tracked and reviewed by the Rutgers Testing Protocol Action Group to monitor community health.

A positive test indicates the presence of the novel coronavirus in the sample that was tested. You may develop symptoms in the future, or you may never develop symptoms. It is possible to transmit the virus even in the absence of symptoms. You will need to self-isolate for at least 10 days to prevent transmission to others. If your test result is positive, someone from Occupational or Student Health will contact you to provide instructions and answer questions. In addition, you will be contacted by the local health department in an effort to identify any additional close contact you may have to help identify others who may be at risk for disease and again help to reduce transmission and contain the virus. Please notify your supervisor and contact UHR OneSource for appropriate leave information.

If you test positive you should not retest for COVID-19 within 90 days of that positive test, unless otherwise specifically authorized by Student Health or Occupational Health.

A negative test means that the novel coronavirus is not detected by the test at this time. Individuals who test negative may still become infected in the future and need to follow all recommended workplace and community precautions. There is a chance of a false negative. A second test within 1–3 weeks will often help reduce this false negative rate.

Rutgers will store the individual data in a secure electronic environment. While individual results will never be reported, aggregate results for all testing done through the Rutgers testing program will be tracked and reviewed by the Rutgers Testing Protocol Action Group to monitor community health. Aggregate test results and total number of tests performed through the Rutgers strategic testing program are shared on the university’s testing program dashboard.

All laboratories conducting testing are required by law to report results to the New Jersey Department of Health. The health care provider ordering the testing may also report positive testing to the local health department. Reporting positive cases to the local health department facilitates the processes for contact tracing—an important aspect of trying to reduce the transmission of disease. If you have tested positive, others you have come into contact with, including individuals in your workplace, may be contacted for contact tracing, but your name will not be released.

If you have tested positive your supervisor will be notified that you are not cleared to return to work to ensure that safety measures are being taken in your workplace. Your close contacts will be asked to quarantine for 14 days.

You must self-isolate at home for at least 10 days from the date of the positive test. Should you become symptomatic during that time, consult your health care provider. Your period of self-isolation may be extended to 10 days from symptom onset and 1-3 days after resolution of fever and improvement of symptoms. Occupational Health or Student Health will inform you when you may return to campus. With supervisor approval, if telecommuting is an option given your job function, you may work remotely during the period of self-isolation as long as you are well enough to do so safely.

Employees who test positive and are unable to work remotely should contact UHR OneSource to determine the appropriate type of leave, if eligible, to be taken.

Employees who are quarantined because of close contact with a positive case, should contact UHR OneSource to determine the appropriate type of leave, if eligible, to be taken.

Testing through the Rutgers testing program is not available to family members. Family members should contact their health care providers so that they can be tested according to current guidelines. Testing can also be obtained at many pharmacies or NJDOH testing sites. Information on NJDOH testing sites can be found at: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing.

If you are experiencing any symptoms, you must remain at home, notify your supervisor, and contact your personal health care provider for testing and treatment.

Asymptomatic individuals who have tested positive as part of the Rutgers testing program will be informed by Occupational Health or Student Health when they may return to work or study.

Asymptomatic individuals who have tested positive from a privately obtained test should obtain a clearance letter from their physician.

Symptomatic individuals should obtain a clearance letter from their physician in order to be cleared to return to work. In the case of physician unavailability or office closures, a signed self-attestation of improvement in symptoms (consistent with CDC guidance on ending isolation after COVID-19 infection), may be made available through UHR OneSource and can suffice as return-to-campus documentation.

Effective 12/14/20 weekly testing will be expected for Rutgers community members who will be regularly on campus beginning 1/4/21. Read about the December 14, 2020 updates to the university’s COVID-19 testing strategy.

If you have been notified that you are in a group identified for testing, your testing instructions will include a schedule for repeat testing if it is deemed necessary. Repeat testing requirements are determined by evaluating a group’s repeated exposure, new increase in exposure, continuing risk of spread to high-risk individuals, and if environmental rates of community exposure have increased. Repeat testing may also be required if an administrator or supervisor in your department indicated that your group was newly at risk of meeting the requirements listed above.

Because Rutgers is a multifaceted organization in which many of our community members fill several roles, you may also be identified for testing as a result of risk associated with a different set of responsibilities or group affiliation. If this happens, please contact the appropriate office of student or occupational health to determine your testing needs