Auburn University will begin requiring students to perform daily self-screenings for COVID-19 today as some return to campus for face-to-face instruction. The requirement was previously announced as part of the University's "A Healthier U" reentry plan for the fall semester.
Students must complete a Healthcheck screener each day of fall instruction through AUAccess to visit campus and attend classes in person, according to the University. The Healthcheck screener was developed by the University of Alabama at Birmingham as part of its GuideSafe testing program, which is providing free COVID-19 testing to returning Auburn students.
"Completion of the screener takes less than 10 seconds if you don't have symptoms," the University said in a reminder email to students ahead of the start of the semester. "In some cases, it takes less than 60 seconds if you are reporting symptoms."
In order to prove they have completed the screener, the University said students will receive an A Healthier U pass after answering questions that will either permit or deny them access to campus activities. Students who receive a green pass for the day may safely visit campus, while those who receive a red pass are asked to stay home or seek medical assistance.
"Students are required to show their pass in order to attend on-campus events and may be asked to show their pass during in-person classes," the University said. "If students indicate they have no symptoms or known exposure, they will be free to continue their daily schedules."
Students who either indicate symptoms of COVID-19 or recent exposure to someone who has tested positive will be directed to self-quarantine as a safety measure in order to monitor their symptoms before returning to campus. They may additionally be asked to contact the University's COVID-19 Resource Center, a "centralized, multidisciplinary team created to respond to questions and requests from Auburn faculty, staff and students," according to the University.
"Staffed by trained volunteers from across the University, the center works closely with the Auburn University Medical Clinic, Facilities Management, University Housing, Human Resources, Campus Safety and Security, Student Affairs, academic and other campus units," the University said.
The center may be reached by email at covidresourcecenter@auburn.edu or by phone at (334) 844-6000.
The University said that students should only report new symptoms "not associated with existing health conditions," such as seasonal allergies, difficulty breathing or soreness when performing screeners to receive a proper diagnosis.
As the fall semester begins, students are encouraged to enroll in GuideSafe's Exposure Notification App, which "anonymously [alerts] each user of potential exposure to those who have tested positive to COVID-19 within the past 14 days." The University said that enrollment is voluntary, but users can be assured of their privacy when using the app. Additional information will be provided regarding the app over the course of this week, according to the University.
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Tim Nail, junior in journalism, is the campus editor for The Auburn Plainsman.
