Tufts Plans To Conduct 18K+ Coronavirus Tests A Week

MEDFORD, MA — Tufts University is reopening this fall with an ambitious plan to rigorously test students and staff. The school held public meetings for Medford and Somerville residents this week in response to concerns from its host communities.

The plan calls for bi-weekly testing of all students, whether they live on- or off-campus, and employees and contractors in areas such as dining and custodial services. Student-facing faculty and staff will be tested once a week.

This amounts to about 18,500 tests a week, Patrick Collins, executive director of Media Relations at Tufts University, said.

Tufts will require all students to use CampusKey, an app developed by the university that informs them of their testing schedule, provides reminders and results and alerts them if they miss a test. Missed tests could result in deactivation of their IDs, which would prevent them from entering buildings, attending classes and participating in certain activities.

A chief concern of residents is students, particularly those living off-campus, patronizing local businesses and mingling in the community. Collins told Patch the university is conducting an extensive education and social norms campaign to emphasize the importance of observing health and safety protocols, including masking and social distancing, both on- and off-campus.

While the campaign seeks to ensure both the safety of students and community members, "there has been no discussion of preventing students from going to pharmacies, shopping for groceries, working or other similar activities," Collins wrote in an email.

The university plans to strictly enforce health and safety guidelines, and students could face disciplinary measures for violations such as hosting gatherings of more than 10 people. In addition to its staff, Tufts will have a team of student ambassadors handing out masks and providing reminders about protocols.

Disciplinary action will be weighed by the severity of an infraction.

"For example, if someone forgets to wear a mask, they’ll be reminded and provided with one or asked to retrieve their own," Collins wrote. "At the other end of the spectrum, egregious infractions that put public health at great risk, such as hosting a large gathering that disregards masking and distancing, could result in a student's separation from the university."

Students will be tested every three days upon their return to campus before entering surveillance testing, which is twice a week. The university will require students to remain in quarantine until at least the first three tests – one upon arrival, plus two subsequent tests – are negative. The state requires one negative test to end quarantine.

The university is installing 222 temporary modular units, called "Mods," on the tennis courts and in Blakeley parking lot for isolation, quarantine and contact tracing. These consist of single bedrooms with sinks and a shared toilet and shower between two bedrooms. There are also more than 200 spare beds in Blakeley Hall and other residence halls for quarantine.

Contact tracing will be done through the local health Marathon Health in collaboration with the local health authority and the Community Tracing Collaborative.

Previously: Medford Mayor 'Concerned' Over Tufts Reopening Amid Rising Cases

Medford Residents Concerned Over Tufts Reopening Plan