Voluntary COVID-19 surveillance testing to monitor breakthrough infections

Beginning this week, COVID Operations will invite fully vaccinated students, faculty and staff to participate in asymptomatic surveillance testing to monitor breakthrough infection.  

With the advent of the Delta variant and a small number of breakthrough infections already occurring on campus, testing fully vaccinated individuals will help the University evaluate the local incidence of breakthrough infection and the need for booster shots. 

“No vaccine is 100 percent effective at preventing illness,” said Gillian Ice, special assistant to the president for public health operations. “We expect that a small percentage of individuals still will be infected.” 

According to Ice, layering prevention measures is critical to keeping yourself safe: vaccination, masking, distancing, handwashing, and avoiding large gatherings with unvaccinated individuals or that involve close contact. When used together, these measures are highly effective at preventing spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. 

Fully vaccinated students, faculty and staff will be invited at random via email to participate in testing no more than once a month. Participation is voluntary but encouraged.  

OHIO students, faculty and staff on any campus who would like to take an asymptomatic test to check their health status, to meet travel testing guidelines, or for any other reason may schedule an asymptomatic test through Vault Health.