The University of Louisiana at Lafayette will begin mandatory random COVID-19 screening for faculty, staff and student workers starting Monday, a spokesman confirmed.
There are plans to institute this testing for students as well, but a start date hasn't been set yet, he said.
UL sent out an email Friday, letting employees know that the random, mandatory testing would start Monday as part of the university's continued efforts to control transmission of the virus. Student testing also will start, but at a later date.
Here's the full statement:
“Last spring, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette established safety protocols in response to COVID-19 based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Louisiana Department of Health. Through the cooperation of faculty and staff members, students and the general public, these measures have been effective in creating a safe learning and working environment.
On Friday, the University communicated its intention to randomly screen employees who are working on campus. This is one step in a multi-part strategy UL Lafayette is taking to safeguard the health and well-being of the campus community and bring on-campus life back to a state of near normalcy as quickly as possible. In addition to testing, the University is expanding its on-campus vaccination efforts. Faculty and staff will be polled next week to determine the number of vaccines needed for on-campus administration. It is not in response to any change in the campus’ current positivity rate; to the contrary, it’s meant to ensure that those rates remain as low as they have consistently been.
This proactive measure will help inform decisions the University will reach in the coming weeks regarding plans for the upcoming summer and fall semesters."
