Testing

ECC must adhere to this State of Illinois Mandate to maintain a safe learning environment for our students and employees. We expect all students who take on-campus classes or attend on-campus activities will comply. Student Support Services will contact individuals who have not provided vaccination status or COVID-19 test results to advise on required actions.

The goal of these efforts is to comply with the mandate and maintain a safe learning environment for all, not to punish or exclude students. However, instances of willful and deliberate non-compliance may be considered a violation of the ECC Student Code of Conduct and the COVID Code of Conduct Addendum, which can carry sanctions up to and including dismissal from the College. ECC is committed to mitigating the spread of this virus and keeping our students, employees, and community members safe. We know that vaccinations save lives, and everyone who can get vaccinated is encouraged to do so. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at CovidVaccine@elgin.edu. 

Test results are typically available within 24 hours and emailed or available via the Student Results Portal. The test results are also reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health and Elgin Community College’s designated Emergency response representative, who will contact you if you test positive. Visit Vitality Website.

At this time, no appointment times are required for testing, and walk-ins are welcome. Pre-registration for expedited process and delivery results over the Vitality Urgent Care portal registration is encouraged. Please keep the QR code and present it upon arrival. Please wear a mask if you feel unwell or have come into contact with someone who recently tested positive. 

Getting Your Results
Test results are typically completed within 24 hours, and results will be emailed or available via the Student Results Portal. The test results are also reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health and Elgin Community College Designated Emergency response representative, who will contact you if you test positive. You will receive a link via text and email to see your results. Click either link and follow the instructions to upload an image/photo of your proof and enter additional information about your test. 

Register with Vitality

Testing offered at the college is free of charge for students and employees. See the On-Campus Testing page for more information. 

A COVID-19 negative test result from pharmacies and other medical facilities will be accepted, such as Walgreens, CVS, Meijer, Jewel-Osco, Walmart, and Target).

Unless fully vaccinated, you can not refuse weekly testing if you work on campus or attend classes. If you are vaccinated, weekly testing is not required, and no further action is needed.

If you have a positive test, you are required to notify your supervisor and follow the established protocols established in the COVID-19 Case on Campus Procedures. Employees are reminded to stay home if they are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19. Test results are also reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health and ECC. Our contact tracer will call you to discuss the timeline for your return to campus and gather additional information regarding any potential close contacts.

Read Case on Campus Procedure

Vitality offers either a nasal, saliva, or oral swab. RT-PCR COVID-19 can be performed with a nasal, saliva, or oral swab. Antigen Rapid Covid-19 Test (Nasal swab only). You'll receive results in 1 hour or less and suitable for people with symptoms as an adjunct to the RT-PCR test.

You will be offered either a non-invasive nasal swab or saliva collection at the collection site. The nasal sample collection is done with a soft-tip nasal swab. Alternatively, saliva collection takes several minutes and involves filling a collection device until the saliva level reaches the fill line.

You can be tested more than once per week if you feel another test is warranted. If you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, please stay home and contact your health provider. 

It would be best to do testing outside of your regular work hours. You can choose to use your lunch break period if time permits. Employees should not exceed their lunch period.

To comply with the requirements in the mandate, you should use viral testing, preferably a PCR test if available. Tests must have Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA or be operating per the Laboratory Developed Test requirements by U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

• Viral tests indicate whether an individual has a current infection. There are two types of viral tests: nucleic acid amplification tests, including the gold-standard PCR test, and antigen tests.
• At-home tests or self-test kits for COVID-19 are available for purchase from retail pharmacies and other outlets. Some of these tests require supervision from a health care provider through telehealth, who will then confirm the identity of the person taking the test (e.g., by showing a photo ID), while others are fully self-administered. For higher education personnel and students, at-home tests that are fully self-administered are permissible when the Institution of Higher Education requires proof of the test result through a video or picture of the test result to be available upon request from the personnel or student. You should be aware of the limitations of these tests, such as inadvertent improper administration and difficulty in verifying the reported results against your identity.
• Antibody tests should not be used to diagnose a current infection and are not recommended to meet the requirements of the Order.

These locations will not be used as testing sites for COVID, as the main campus will serve as the centralized testing site for ECC students and employees. ECC can explore vaccination clinics for these locations if there is sufficient interest.