COVID-19 Testing

Mason’s surveillance testing team honored for its efforts

John Hollis — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 20:46:22 +0000

Mason’s surveillance testing team honored for its efforts John Hollis Mon, 02/28/2022 - 15:46

Mason formally recognized the many dedicated scientists, first responders, program administrators and medical personnel whose tireless efforts paved the way for the school’s successful COVID-19 surveillance testing program during the global pandemic. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

��AV officials on Monday formally recognized the many dedicated scientists, first responders, program administrators, staff and medical personnel whose tireless efforts paved the way for the school’s successful COVID-19 surveillance testing program during the global pandemic.

The reception in their honor at Merten Hall was Mason’s way of giving a heartfelt thanks for a job well done.

“I can give you all a thousand thank you's,” said Mason President Gregory Washington. “And I know the reality is that it doesn’t happen if you all don’t make the commitment, if you all don’t put in the hard work, if you all don’t put in the extra hours, if you all don’t have to deal with the changing policies and the struggles that we were in many cases foisting upon you. But you did it, you did it admirably and your results are spectacular.”

Since the program’s inception in fall 2020, Mason has administered more than 155,000 COVID tests to students, faculty and staff. Processing the tests in Mason’s own labs means results are returned within 24 to 48 hours. The fast turnaround time meant Mason scientists could quickly identify and isolate positive COVID cases which lead to timely notification to those members of our community that needed to self-isolate to mitigate outbreaks within the Mason community.

The quick turnaround required immense time and staff power, key factors in helping keep the community safe while elevating Mason to national prominence for its response to the pandemic. The university’s ability to monitor the prevalence of COVID within the campus community and transmission rates played a key role in the decision to open its doors on time for fall 2021 and spring 2022 semesters.

Lance Liotta, the co-founder and co-director of the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine within Mason’s College of Science which oversaw the testing, called what his team accomplished “historic.” Liotta noted that his team conducted 1,000 thousand tests on Friday, Feb. 25, without a single positive case of COVID.

Carol Kissal, Mason’s senior vice president for administration and finance, lauded the team for their efforts that have served to inspire the entire Mason community.

“You have all been part of something that is pretty phenomenal,” she said.

The surveillance and diagnostic testing program started in the Ángel Cabrera Global Center parking garage in late August 2020, where staff overcame the elements and other unexpected technological hurdles to help Mason navigate the early stages of the COVID pandemic and COVID virus of which very little was known at the time. It wasn’t long before Mason's COVID Response Team and scientists had devised new collection procedures at sites across all of Mason’s campuses, each aimed at keeping site staff and test participants safe through an efficient and expeditious testing process.

Mason's reliable surveillance testing system is also critical in allowing Mason student-athletes to continue competing safely throughout the pandemic.

Topics

Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine (CAPMM)

DCist/WAMU 88.5: Dr. Amira Roess comments on asymptomatic Covid-19 testing.

eander6 — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 20:15:37 +0000

DCist/WAMU 88.5: Dr. Amira Roess comments on asymptomatic Covid-19 testing. eander6 Mon, 01/24/2022 - 15:15

In This Story

Amira Roess, PhD, MPH

Virginia Gov. Youngkin Discourages Asymptomatic COVID-19 Testing Amid Supply Challenges.

Topics

coronavirus; covid-19

COVID-19 Testing

Public Health

public health faculty

CHHS in the Media

College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

Complete a Required COVID Test

Melanie Balog — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 18:05:48 +0000

Complete a Required COVID Test Melanie Balog Fri, 01/14/2022 - 13:05

Greetings,

All faculty and staff, vaccinated and unvaccinated, who do not have an approved fully remote work agreement on file with HR, are required to complete a COVID PCR test between Monday, January 17 and Sunday, January 23. Your test date must fall between 1/17/22 and 1/23/22 in order to fulfill this requirement. Please read below for further instructions.

Test sites are operational on all of Mason’s campuses. Review site locations and hours. Please note, Mason test sites are closed on Monday, January 17, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Testing will be made available on Saturday, January 22, and Sunday, January 23, on Fairfax Campus at the Johnson Center.

To complete your free COVID test at Mason:

Schedule your appointment(s) by signing into the Patient Portal. You will receive automated appointment reminders.

Walk-in to a test site without a scheduled appointment. Walk-ins are permitted up to 30 minutes before closing. You may also use the walk-in option if you miss a scheduled appointment.

Please do not eat, drink, or brush your teeth at least 30 minutes prior to your appointment.

You must display a green Mason COVID Health Check response at the time of your appointment.

To complete a COVID PCR test outside of Mason:

Alternatively, you may opt to complete a COVID PCR test outside of Mason. Your test must be a PCR test conducted by a healthcare professional; rapid at-home tests will not be accepted. If you prefer to complete a COVID test outside of Mason, you must do so at your own time and at your own expense. You must upload your external test result to the Medicat Patient Portal by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 23. Follow the detailed upload instructions .

Temporary Exemptions

Please complete this form if you are not able to participate in mandatory COVID Surveillance Testing by the deadline. By completing the form, you attest that your reason for missing this mandatory COVID surveillance test is true and understand that making false statements to the university may result in disciplinary action. Failure to participate in required COVID surveillance testing without a valid reason may result in disciplinary action.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19:

For the safety of yourself and others, you may not complete a test at one of Mason’s surveillance test sites as these locations are only open to asymptomatic individuals. Instead, you may schedule a COVID test with your own healthcare provider or make an appointment at Mason’s new drive-up diagnostic testing site on Fairfax Campus, Peterson Hall. This site is reserved for Mason’s faculty and staff only. Schedule an appointment and select Peterson Hall as your test site location. You must arrive in a vehicle for this appointment. Way-finding signs are posted around Patriot Circle near Peterson Hall to help you navigate to the test site. You will need to display your yellow Mason COVID Health Check response at the time of this appointment, indicating you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

Thank you for continuing to do your part to stop the spread of COVID-19 at ��AV.

Sincerely,

Safety, Emergency, & Enterprise Risk Management

Topics

Faculty and Staff News

COVID-19 Testing

Fox 5 (Washington, D.C., video): Dr. Amira Roess comments on COVID-19 and the winter surge.

eander6 — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 14:55:28 +0000

Fox 5 (Washington, D.C., video): Dr. Amira Roess comments on COVID-19 and the winter surge. eander6 Fri, 01/07/2022 - 09:55

In This Story

Amira Roess, PhD, MPH

COVID-19 surge due to omicron variant impacting testing sites, travel, NYE plans. Roess starts at the 1 minute and 26-second mark.

Topics

coronavirus; covid-19

Omicron variant

COVID-19 Testing

Public Health

public health faculty

CHHS in the Media

College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

Amira Roess Answers Early Questions on the Omicron Variant

John Brandon Cantrell — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:30:04 +0000

Amira Roess Answers Early Questions on the Omicron Variant John Brandon C… Tue, 12/07/2021 - 13:30

In This Story

Amira Roess, PhD, MPH

Amira Roess, professor in the Department of Global and Community Health, answers questions about the emerging COVID-19 Omicron variant.

What is The Omicron Covid-19 variant, and when can we expect it to emerge in the US?

The Omicron variant is a variant of the COVID-19 virus and has several mutations on the spike protein. This is of significance because the spike protein is what current vaccines and therapeutics target. These changes or mutations may have implications for transmission and effectiveness of current vaccines and therapeutics.

Every day we will learn about new cases of the Omicron variant in the United States and throughout the world. Typically, by the time we identify the first case of a variant, there are dozens if not hundreds more that have not been identified. This is an artifact of our surveillance system and our testing strategy.

What should people do differently over the holiday, in light of the new variant?

There is a lot that we need to learn and we are gathering information quickly. Over the next several days we will have more data about the transmissibility of this variant and the possible implications of this on disease spread, and vaccine and therapeutic effectiveness. In the meantime, individuals should prioritize getting the vaccine and the booster if they are eligible and should continue to wear masks in crowded indoor settings.

Those with underlying conditions and the elderly should continue to be vigilant in order to avoid infection. If you are going to spend the holidays with individuals who are older or have multiple underlying conditions then it's extremely important that you, and they, get vaccinated and get the booster in order to minimize the chance of transmission at holiday gatherings.

What are the best ways for an individual to protect themselves and minimize the spread of the Omicron variant?

Getting the vaccine and the booster are the most important things that you can do to protect yourself against this variant.

The World Health Organization describes Omicron as a ‘variant of concern’ as scientists work to learn more. What precautions can the Mason Community take now for protection against this new variant?

The Mason community should continue to do what it has been doing. We have a very high vaccination rate and now we need to increase our booster rate. If you have symptoms make sure that you get tested and quarantine or isolate as appropriate. We need to continue to wear our masks, especially in crowded indoor settings in order to protect ourselves and others. Remember that masks are effective in reducing the risk of transmission of covid-19 and other respiratory microbes.

It seems like things are changing every day. Why and when can we expect to know more? Could it take weeks for the initial research to be done?

We learn more every day. Each day we are identifying cases and investigating clusters. I suspect that in a week we'll have more information on the implications of the emergent variant on transmission dynamics, disease severity, and vaccine effectiveness.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that our current vaccines do seem to protect against severe disease and while this may change in the future, it does not change the fact that the Delta variant is still the dominant strain in the US and the vaccines that we have are highly effective against severe disease, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Should you cancel your holiday party and festivities? Just as we are getting excited about celebrating over the holidays, after last year’s hugely restricted activities, the Omicron variant has surfaced. Is there any need to change the plan to be with family and friends over the winter break?

For now, we do not need to change our winter holiday plans. If you and all of those at your holiday gatherings have been vaccinated and have received a booster as appropriate then you have truly done everything you can to significantly reduce the risk of infection.

The recommendations for travel are the same. Continue to wear masks when you are in indoor settings, especially in crowded settings, which includes on airplanes, buses, trains, and in airports and shopping centers. If you have symptoms avoid contact with others until you get tested. These actions continue to greatly reduce the risk of infection.

For those of us who are vaccinated, do our vaccines hold up against the Omicron variant? What about boosters?

Preliminary data suggest that individuals who have been vaccinated have mild symptoms when infected with the Omicron variant. This supports the recommendation that all eligible individuals really should get vaccinated and get the booster. We will learn more in the coming days and weeks.

All three vaccine manufacturers in the U.S. – Moderna (MRNA), Pfizer (PFE), and Johnson and Johnson (JNJ) are already conducting research to determine how their vaccines fare against Omicron. When will the results be available?

These vaccine manufacturers have indicated that they may be able to produce a vaccine that is updated to respond to the Omicron variant in about 3 months. This timeline will be updated as more information emerges.

There is still a significant number of “unknowns” about the mutant strain. What are the next steps?

Public health departments throughout the world are working on sequencing as many samples as they can in order to assess whether or not the Omicron variant will outcompete the Delta variant, that is will become the dominant strain. We are also collecting clinical and other information from individuals infected with the emergent variant to estimate the effectiveness of current vaccines and therapeutics against it and to better understand what symptoms are common among those infected with the Omicron variant.

Is Omicron more transmissible and does it cause more severe disease?

Right now we have very limited data on this. The Omicron cases reported from South Africa were primarily in younger adults and they tended to have mild symptoms. Younger adults infected with other variants generally have more mild symptoms than older adults and so this preliminary information, while promising, is not enough to definitively answer this question.

Fully vaccinated individuals who have been infected with the Omicron variant also seem to have no to mild symptoms and this is also promising. More data are needed though before we can have a definitive answer on this.

Should people be flexible over the holidays?

Flexibility is always a good thing. For now, it is important to follow the vaccine recommendations and get the booster if you are eligible. The higher our vaccination rates the lower the number of vulnerable individuals. If we can reduce the infection rates then we can keep our hospitals running and We can also reduce transmission cycles. The more opportunities we have for viral transmission the more opportunities there are for mutations to occur and variance to emerge.

According to the W.H.O., Covid symptoms linked to the new Omicron variant have been described as “extremely mild.” Is this true?

There is limited information about this. The cases that have been reported so far suggest that infection with the Omicron variant may lead to mild symptoms. However, this is preliminary information and more data are needed. We will learn more in the coming days.

Currently, the U.S. has restricted travel from South Africa and 7 other Southern African countries. What recommendations do you have regarding air travel?

Individuals who plan to travel should get their boosters before doing so and should wear masks while they are in transit in order to reduce their chance of infection.

What advice do you have about wearing masks? Can a medical-grade mask help protect against Covid, colds, and flu? What should we know about the latest mask mandates?

It's a very good idea to continue to wear masks in indoor settings throughout the winter in order to reduce your chance of getting COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory infections. Many jurisdictions have removed mask mandates or are scheduled to lift them. I would not be surprised if we saw a return to mask mandates given the increase in cases, the emergence of the Omicron variant, and the fact that we are entering cold and flu season.

Masks are simple to wear and are effective in reducing the transmission of respiratory pathogens.

Topics

Covid-19

COVID-19 Testing

COVID-19 Operations

Mason announces Thanksgiving break COVID-19 testing protocols to ensure community safety

Colleen Rich — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 20:08:08 +0000

Mason announces Thanksgiving break COVID-19 testing protocols to ensure community safety Colleen Rich Tue, 11/02/2021 - 16:08

Mason is requiring residential students to participate in COVID-19 testing after returning from the Thanksgiving holiday break. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

��AV, in keeping its focus on community safety and health, is requiring residential students to participate in COVID-19 testing after returning from the Thanksgiving holiday break.

Unvaccinated nonresidential students are asked to get tested after upon return from Thanksgiving break. Vaccinated nonresidential students are also encouraged to get tested following the break.

In addition, all students are being encouraged to get COVID-19 testing one to two days before travel and returning home or going to another location for the break.

Faculty and staff are also encouraged to get COVID-19 testing done before and after Thanksgiving break travel, said David A. Farris, executive director of safety and emergency management at Mason.

“Our holiday testing strategy is designed to not only identify and prevent the spread of COVID on campus but to mitigate the transmission of COVID from our campus to our community and the destinations our students, faculty, and staff will visit over the holidays,” said Farris.

Mason has capacity to test those who are leaving the area for the holidays. Students, faculty, and staff can schedule appointments through the online medical portal. On-demand testing is also an option for the Mason community. Testing is recommended 24 hours or more prior to travel to ensure that results are returned before departure, said Farris.

Residential students will be tested upon their return between Monday, Nov. 29, and Wednesday, Dec. 1. In addition, residential students with approved medical exemptions or who are not fully vaccinated must test twice during the week, with at least 48 hours between their first and second test.

“Mason’s testing program and public health and safety precautions are important to protect the Mason community, but they are just as critical to the safety and welfare of our family, friends, and community members whom we interact with off campus,” said Julie Zobel, associate vice president for safety, emergency, and enterprise risk management.

In the fall semester, Mason has had 304 positive COVID cases among the Mason population of more than 50,000 individuals. Cases have been low because students, faculty, and staff have complied with the campus mask requirement and other public safety measures, such as surveillance testing. Mason also has a high vaccination rate, with 96% of students and 92% of faculty and staff vaccinated.

Topics

Students

Campus News

COVID-19 Testing

The Washington Post: Dr. Jhumka Gupta comments on her decision to send her daughter to school during the pandemic.

eander6 — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 14:03:21 +0000

The Washington Post: Dr. Jhumka Gupta comments on her decision to send her daughter to school during the pandemic. eander6 Tue, 09/14/2021 - 10:03

In This Story

Jhumka Gupta, ScD

Delta variant stress tests back-to-school plans.

Topics

coronavirus; covid-19

COVID-19 Testing

Children and Youth

CHHS in the Media

College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

Public Health

Mason’s required COVID-19 testing helps keep campus safe

Mariam Aburdeineh — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 16:10:17 +0000

Mason’s required COVID-19 testing helps keep campus safe Mariam Aburdeineh Mon, 08/30/2021 - 12:10

��AV has implemented several strategies to keep the campus community safe this fall during the evolving pandemic. Due to the ongoing risk of COVID-19, the university is requiring all students who live on campus to participate in mandatory routine COVID testing, regardless of vaccination status.

Vaccinated, non-residential students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to participate in the COVID surveillance testing to keep the university community safe.

“Even for people who are vaccinated, there are still breakthrough infections, and the surveillance testing is important to keep an eye on the campus to ensure safety, since a lot of people are back together,” said Angela Chezem, M.D., medical director at Mason‘s Safety, Emergency and Enterprise Risk Management (SEERM) office.

Chezem said COVID-19 and the delta variant have been increasing across the United States and in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. As the university community has returned for in-person classes and activities, she said keeping a close eye on public health will be vital for keeping campus safe.

“Our ability to have a more vibrant campus this academic year depends on all of us doing our part,” said Julie Zobel, associate vice president of SEERM. “We need to double down on our commitment to Mason’s public health and safety precautions: vaccination, staying home when not well, wearing masks, distancing, completing the Mason COVID Health Check daily, testing, and implementing good hygiene practices.”

Vaccinated residential students will test weekly for the first three weeks of classes. Subsequently, testing for this group may reduce to once every two weeks, pending the number of cases and prevalence in the area. Unvaccinated residential students with an approved exemption are required to test twice per week during the semester. Nonresidential unvaccinated students and unvaccinated employees with an approved exemption are required to test once per week. Nonresidential vaccinated students and employees may be chosen randomly for testing.

For students and employees in high-contact roles where there is close contact with other individuals, such as Athletics and student organizations that host large, in-person events, testing may be required more frequently. To accommodate diverse schedules, Mason is offering extended testing hours at the Arlington and Fairfax Campuses. Learn more about Mason’s COVID-19 surveillance testing here.

Students, faculty and staff are advised to pay close attention to their Mason email, the official means by which they will be informed about individual testing requirements.

Mason is requiring COVID vaccines for all students, faculty and staff, unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption. Even with the requirement, surveillance testing is essential, Mason experts said.

“Vaccines are still important because they lessen the number of infections, and typically those infections are less severe; but an infection can still happen because there are variants,” Chezem said.

Without surveillance testing, it would be difficult to identify outbreaks within the university community and therefore extremely difficult to control the spread of the disease within Mason’s population.

Coming back to campus for in-person classes is a sign of progress, Chezem said, adding that she hopes students, faculty and staff see the surveillance testing effort as beneficial for everyone.

“We want to try to ensure that people feel the campus is a safe place to be and that we’re keeping a close eye on things to be able to stay in-person on campus,” she said.

Topics

COVID-19 Testing

Campus News

WAMU 88.5 (Washington, DC): Dr. Amira Roess comments on COVID transmission in schools, frequent testing and swiftly imposed mandates.

eander6 — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 16:28:34 +0000

WAMU 88.5 (Washington, DC): Dr. Amira Roess comments on COVID transmission in schools, frequent testing and swiftly imposed mandates. eander6 Thu, 08/26/2021 - 12:28