To help protect your home community as well as NIU’s, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the DeKalb County Health Department and NIU are partnering to offer free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing from Monday, Nov. 16, through Wednesday, Nov. 18, for any students, faculty, staff members or DeKalb County residents who want to be tested prior to Thanksgiving.
Nasal swab testing will be available each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Anderson Hall parking lot, and results will be available in four to seven days.
| 2020 Free Drive-thru COVID-19 Testing Event Where: Anderson Hall Parking Lot (520 Garden Rd.) Enter on Kishwaukee Drive off Lucinda Avenue on NIU’s DeKalb campus. Walk-ups are also welcome. When: Nov. 16-18 (Monday through Wednesday), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Why: Protect the Pack and your home community by getting tested before Thanksgiving! You can also play an important part in helping validate a new COVID-19 test that’s currently in research development. Go to go.niu.edu/drive-thru-research to learn more. |
“We want to give our students and employees peace of mind before the Thanksgiving break,” said Matt Streb, NIU chief of staff to the president and liaison to the Board of Trustees. “Taking advantage of this free COVID-19 testing is another way we can help keep our community safe and limit the possibility of putting others at risk.”
After taking the test, a second COVID-19 test that’s currently in research development will be offered. Under the leadership of Elizabeth Gaillard, director of NIU’s Molecular Analysis Core (MAC) Facility and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, NIU is working to help develop the test. Participation in the second test, a non-invasive simple oral rinse, is optional but important.
“Our community members have an opportunity to play an important role in helping NIU with this research,” Streb said. Those who participate in the second test will be asked to complete a consent form and provide basic demographic information.
Those who participate in the second test will be asked to complete a consent form and provide basic demographic information. Volunteer staff are also needed to facilitate the second test.
Learn more at go.niu.edu/drive-thru-research.
