As West Virginia University prepares to welcome students, faculty and staff back to campus, the University has updated its COVID-19 guidance for the Fall 2021 semester, including testing requirements. 

Individuals Who Have Verified Their COVID-19 Vaccination Status

Students, faculty and staff who have verified their vaccination status with WVU will not be required to undergo COVID-19 testing at the beginning of the semester.

Further, those who have verified their vaccination status will be exempted from random sample testing throughout the semester.

Individuals Who Have Not Verified Their COVID-19 Vaccination Status

All students, faculty and staff who will be on campus this fall and who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have not verified their vaccination status with the University by Sunday, Aug. 1, will be required to submit a valid COVID-19 test result.

Note: Students, faculty and staff who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days will not need to provide a test result to WVU. However, these individuals must contact WVU Shared Services at 304-293-6006 and provide proof of their positive result to be exempted from testing.

WVU will only accept live-virus reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results dated after Aug. 1. Rapid antigen tests results will not be accepted.

Results should be obtained prior to campus move-in. Anyone with a positive test result immediately should begin isolation and notify WVU Shared Services at 304-293-6006. Additional guidance for what to do if you test positive or are exposed to someone who tests positive is available on the Return to Campus website.

A printed copy of a negative test result must be delivered to a WVU health care professional within 48 hours of when the individual arrives on campus at one of the following drop-off locations:

• College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (Room 104)

Aug. 2 – 17: Monday through Friday – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Weekend hours are available on Saturday, Aug. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Mountainlair (Greenbrier Room)

Aug. 12 – 20: Monday through Friday – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Weekend hours are available on Saturday, Aug. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Health Sciences (near the Pylons)

Aug. 9 – 20: Monday through Friday – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Weekend hours are available on Saturday, Aug. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m.

You will be asked to provide your Mountaineer Card and/or employee number, so be sure to have them readily available when you arrive at a drop-off location.

Test results from an individual’s local testing provider — from both within and outside of West Virginia — will be accepted as long as they meet the above criteria. There also are several options available for those who wish to complete COVID-19 testing in Morgantown, including:

• Monongalia County Health Department
• WVU Medicine
• CVS MinuteClinic®
• Walgreens
• Walmart
• Rite Aid
• MedExpress

Students and employees who fail to comply with COVID-19 testing requirements may be subject to discipline in accordance with the University’s policies and procedures.

Sample Testing

To quickly assess and limit the potential spread of COVID-19 this fall, WVU will continue to conduct weekly random sample testing among certain groups of students, faculty and staff who are on campus and have not been vaccinated or verified their vaccination status with the University.

WVU will identify those who may be asked to participate in sample testing based on their role or academic discipline — regardless of whether the individual has a known exposure or is showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Further, certain groups may be asked to complete testing on a weekly basis based on their potential exposure to COVID-19 and vaccination status.

Community Testing

The University will continue to partner with the Monongalia County Health Department to hold optional free COVID-19 community testing at the WVU Student Recreation Center during the fall semester. Community testing is open to WVU students, employees and residents of Monongalia County.

Beginning Monday, Aug. 2, community testing will be held Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon and Wednesdays from noon to 3 p.m. in the Student Rec Center’s lower gym.

No appointment is required. Free parking will be available in Short Term Lots 4 and 9.

Individuals who wish to be tested must bring identification (a driver’s license or proof of address) to the testing site. Face masks and physical distancing are required.

Students and employees who need testing outside of normal community testing hours may contact WVU Medicine Student Health at 304-285-7200 for more information.

Student Health offers walk-in appointments Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays (beginning Aug. 14) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Verify Your Vaccination Status

If you have not already done so, be sure to verify your COVID-19 vaccination status with the University at myhousing.wvu.edu prior to the Aug. 1 deadline.

Follow these instructions to verify your status. A video tutorial also is available to guide you through the process.

If you receive your vaccination later in the semester, be sure to update your vaccination status at that time. 
 
In addition to required COVID-19 testing at the beginning of the semester, those who are not fully vaccinated or have not verified their vaccination status by Aug. 1 must:

• Comply with random sample testing until they become fully vaccinated.
• Quarantine for at least 14 days following close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Obtain testing if symptoms develop.
• Quarantine for five days following out-of-state travel.
• Wear a mask indoors and when outdoors and around others.

WVU will resume weekly COVID-19 updates through a dashboard on the Return to Campus website, which will feature testing information as well as vaccination rates.

Thank you for doing your part to make our campus safer by verifying your vaccination status and complying with the University’s testing requirements. 

Locations for testing and testing verification for students, faculty and staff on the WVU Beckley campus are available on the Beckley Return to Campus website.

Similarly, testing information for students, faculty and staff located at WVU Keyser can be found on the WVU Keyser Return to Campus site.

Students, faculty and staff located at the WVU Health Sciences Charleston and Martinsburg campuses should stay tuned for guidance on testing protocols for those campuses ahead of the fall semester.
 
Visit the Return to Campus website for the latest updates and information. Contact returntocampus@mail.wvu.edu with any questions.