George Washington University launched a new coronavirus testing protocol Thursday — a “highly accurate” one that can provide results within a day or two.
According to a news release, the new test “uses a powerful technique called polymerase chain reaction to detect genetic material from the virus that causes COVID-19 and is highly accurate.”
“Given spread of COVID-19 by people who have few to no symptoms, and the difficulty in accessing testing from private labs, GW concluded in April that we should develop our own testing capacity. GW’s faculty and staff worked round the clock to create an automated high-capacity COVID-19 diagnostic test, obtain regulatory approvals, build the new laboratory and set up testing sites on campus,” school officials said in the release.
“With this investment in on-campus testing, GW can now provide an extra layer of protection to keep students, faculty and staff healthy and safe.”
About 4,000 students, faculty and staff are under the new testing protocol. Anyone on-campus has to monitor symptoms and get weekly COVID tests.
The school’s two testing sites are at the Foggy Bottom campus and the Virginia Science & Technology Campus in Ashburn, Virginia.
GW has a testing dashboard online.
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