Surveillance Testing

Pursuant to SUNY’s Mandatory COVID-19 Testing Program, Nassau Community College (NCC) will continue its Surveillance Testing for the Spring 2021 semester. As a reminder, the testing requirement is to help ensure health and safety and the College will continue to partner with Nassau County Department of Health (NCDOH) to identify, trace, and contain the virus as quickly as possible. There is no cost to students or employees for the pooled testing.

COVID-19 Surveillance Account 

Prior to testing, individuals will be required to create a COVID-19 Surveillance Account and complete their profile. This is a one-time process. Students or employees who have created a profile in the Fall do not need to create a new account. 

NCC COVID-19 Surveillance Testing – General Information

Testing is done using saliva rather than by swabs that are inserted in a person’s nose. Students will administer the tests themselves, swabbing their mouths for 10 or 15 seconds each, and provide the saliva samples to College personnel or volunteers. Pooled samples are then combined into one large sample and mailed to SUNY Upstate Medical University for testing. If the pool comes back with a COVID-19 positive result, each person in the pool will be contacted via email and instructed to isolate until the individual reflex tests are conducted on each pool participant’s saliva sample. All participants will be notified when the results of the individual reflect tests are available. If your reflex test is negative, you will be instructed that you may end your isolation and return to campus. If your reflex test is positive, you will be notified and you must continue to isolate for a duration of 10 days from the date of your test if you remain asymptomatic.
Requirements

1. The testing program is MANDATORY for:
   • Students enrolled in face-to-face courses
   • Students working on campus
   • Student Athletes (will receive specific instructions from the Director of Athletics regarding the below requirements)
   • Students using on-campus resources, on a weekly basis, for the facilitation of their academic course (computer, internet, or study space access)
   • Starting on January 19, 2021, surveillance testing will be mandatory for all NCCFT employees who are teaching courses on campus and/or are scheduled to work on campus during the Spring 2021 semester. Surveillance testing will also continue to be available to all other employees who are working on campus who would like to participate in the testing program.

The following students are exempt from the COVID-19 testing:

1. • Students providing documentation to the campus of a negative COVID-19 diagnostic result within the 14-day period of the student’s required testing date.
   • Students providing documentation to the campus of a previous positive COVID-19 diagnostic result from the prior 3-month period
2. Students & NCCFT employees will be tested once every two weeks.
3. Prior to testing, individuals will be required to create a COVID-19 Surveillance Account and complete their profile. This is a one-time process. Students or employees who have created a profile in the Fall do not need to create a new account.
   • Note: When asked by the app for your insurance information simply enter two dashes (example: -- ).
4. Individuals will need to bring their official NCC ID card and their personal electronic device to the collection station. A personal ID, such as a driver’s license or non-driver ID, will NOT be accepted. If you do not have an NCC ID card please click on this link to obtain one.
   • Alternatively, if you arrive on campus without an ID, you can obtain one in the Student Services Center, open Monday – Thursday 10AM to 3PM. On Friday, students may obtain an ID in the Library from 8AM to 3:30PM.
5. Individuals must not eat or drink anything, including chewing gum, mints, or lozenges, within 30 minutes of reporting for testing, and must not brush their teeth or use mouthwash within three (3) hours before testing.
6. In addition, test subjects must abstain from smoking, vaping, or using smokeless tobacco products for 30 minutes prior to the test.

Instructions Upon Arrival to Life Science Building

• When individuals first arrive in the Life Sciences Building, they will be required to SCAN their ID at the scanning station manned by a member of the Public Safety Office.
• After scanning your ID, walk down the hallway to room 122-123 (students) or to room 106 (employees). Please maintain social distance of 6 feet from the person in front of you at all times.
• Please have your ID and account open on your phone before approaching the greeter at station 1.
• Individuals should then open their account on their phone to scan the barcode on the swab. The greeter will then verify with the individual that the barcode scanned matches the number on the collection tube.
• Individuals will then move to station 2 for swabbing. Following the instructions of the attendant, the individual will collect saliva from his/her own mouth for 10-15 seconds. Please see instructional videos below.
• Individuals will then place their swab into the collection tube, close the cap securely, and shake the tube vigorously 15 times. They will then hand this tube to the attendant.

If you miss your week of testing, please inform CovidTestingNCC@ncc.edu

Testing Locations & Schedule

Testing will be conducted in the Life Sciences building, Rooms 122 & 123 for students and Room 106 for Faculty and Staff.

All required students MUST receive a COVID-19 test every two (2) weeks beginning February 8, after their pre-testing period, while NCCFT Employees MUST receive a COVID-19 test every two (2) weeks beginning January 19. This bi-monthly testing will continue throughout the semester.

Testing will take place Monday-Friday at the following times:

Instructional Videos

Below are a few links to informational videos that outline some of the above-mentioned roles as well as an instructional video on the proper swabbing technique for testing. You can also find additional information on surveillance testing and FAQs on SUNY Upstate’s website.

• Swabbing Technique (students)
• Role of the Greeter and Attendants
• Role of the Pooler