COVID-19 Testing

Keep rapid home COVID tests on hand to self-perform should you develop any new symptoms or have an exposure. Please stay home when sick until you've received a negative COVID test and report any positive results to 978.542.3240.

• Health services, located in Ellison Campus Center 107, will continue to distribute free rapid antigen COVID tests as supplies last.
• Students and employees should also obtain rapid antigen tests off campus (with no out of pocket expense), via:
  • Individual health insurance plan’s preferred pharmacy
  • Every residence in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-home Covid-19 tests. Salem State students living on campus can use their campus mailing address to receive the tests.
  • Students who have the university Blue Cross Blue Shield Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), you may qualify for cost savings for up to eight self-administered at-home COVID tests per month. Learn more from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
  • Some towns continue to provide antigen tests as well, please check with your town of residence.

Rapid tests are useful to determine if you are potentially infectious towards others, but are not as accurate and sensitive as PCR testing. Confirmatory PCR COVID testing is still the gold standard of testing and recommended, especially with persistent or worsening symptoms.

Once you have tested positive for COVID, you should avoid a PCR test for your 90 day immunity period and only perform rapid antigen tests to determine when to discontinue your isolation or test for any new symptom development.

Testing will no longer be required for students. Testing requirements could be re-implemented should COVID conditions worsen.

Testing is recommended:

• prior to returning to campus
• before and after travel or large gatherings, regardless of vaccination status.
• at least 72 hours prior to returning to campus after returning from international travel
• after developing new COVID-like symptoms such as cough, fever, runny nose, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, etc.
• 3-5 days after a known close contact exposure
• to end your isolation period confidently and after you are no longer infectious, 6-10 days after your positive COVID result and when your symptoms are improving or resolved:
  • Students: Use this tool for help in deciding when to end your isolation and return to campus
  • Employees: Use this tool for help in deciding when to end your isolation and return to campus 

• Follow current isolation guidance
• Stay home and isolate for 5-10 days. Strictly wear an effective mask, such as a KN95, if you have to be around other individuals who have not tested positive.
• Access medical care if you have severe symptoms or underlying medical conditions
  • Students can make an appointment with a health services medical provider on their health portal
  • Students and employees can access Massachusetts resources for COVID treatment, including free telehealth appointments and prescriptive treatments.
  • Students and employees can contact their primary care provider
• Self-care, is most important when you are sick: listen to your body, rest, hydrate, and treat your symptoms. CDC tips for caring for yourself while sick.
• Employees should notify HR of any positive COVID test by faxing their results to 978-542-2605 or sending an encrypted email to Ezekiel Holt and Andrea Claudio. For instructions on how to submit an encrypted email, please visit Polaris. 
• Students should call 978.542.3240 or email careandconcern@salemstate.edu if you are having academic, housing, or food concerns during your isolation period. Employees should call 978.542.3240 or contact Ezekiel Holt in Human Resources.

• Students: Use this tool to assess your symptoms and see if you should consider a COVID test before participating in in-person classes or activities.
• Employees: Use this tool to assess your symptoms and see if you should consider a COVID test before participating in in-person work or activities

• Students: Use this tool to see if you need to quarantine after an exposure
•  Employees: Use this tool to see if you need to quarantine after an exposure

Discover off-campus, local COVID testing and other healthcare resources.