EIU Media Relations

Wednesday Dec. 2, and Tuesday, Dec. 15
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Eastern Illinois University, Lantz Fieldhouse, South Entrance

EIU has partnered with the Illinois Department of Public Health to offer COVID tests for students, faculty, staff, annuitants, and the local community.

Drive-thru and walk-up options will be available.

• Walk-up testing will be conducted inside the Lantz Fieldhouse. Enter at the south end of the Fieldhouse (near the tennis courts and Campus Pond). Walk-up lines will be socially distanced around lanes 2 and 6 of the indoor track.
• Drive-thru testing will be conducted outside the south end of the Fieldhouse, near the entry door for walk-up testing. Cars are asked to enter the J Lot off Grant Avenue, follow the queue directions, travel south on the lane between the Fieldhouse and O’Brien Field, turn the corner heading east, and continue to the south entrance of the Fieldhouse. After testing, cars will continue east past Lantz Arena and exit onto Fourth Street.

There is no cost for COVID testing at the Dec. 2 or Dec. 15 clinic dates.

Please wear a mask! EIU’s masking policy means all individuals will be expected to appropriately wear clean cloth or disposable face masks while on campus. Please bring your mask, as additional ones will not be provided.

Pre-Registration:

Individuals are strongly encouraged to pre-register for testing by visiting this website: go.eiu.edu/IDPHMobileReg

1. Enter ZIP code 61920.
2. Choose “COVID-19 Screening” as appointment type.
3. Select a time under one of the Eastern Illinois University Mobile Testing options.
4. If you already have a MyChart account with OSF Health or IDPH, you can enter existing login information. If you do not have a MyChart account, you will receive an email with additional information.
5. If you do not have an email address or do not wish to create a MyChart account, you can call the IDPH results number (1-888-297-7208) for your results. If you are having trouble accessing results through MyChart, contact the MyChart helpline (1-800-889-3931).

What to Bring:

• A photo ID
• An ink pen to write on your test vial.
• EIU Students: Please provide your LOCAL (school) address to the testing staff.
• Your insurance card, if you have one.
• A smart phone to register for My Chart. Click here to preregister: go.eiu.edu/IDPHMobileReg. My Chart will allow you to receive your results faster. A member of the IDPH testing team will help you register for My Chart while you are waiting for your test if you are not able to preregister.

Travel Considerations After Testing

Students or employees who plan to travel away from Charleston after testing are strongly advised to take all personal and academic materials (e.g. medication, textbooks, computer, etc.) that would be needed to isolate or quarantine in that location.

Student Symptomatic Testing

Students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms are encouraged to call EIU’s Medical Clinic at 217-581-3013 to schedule an appointment. Symptomatic students may be tested for COVID-19 at the Medical Clinic for $25.

Other Local Testing Opportunities

Information regarding testing options at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center can be found on the hospital’s website.

Testing FAQ

Is there a cost for testing?

• COVID-19 surveillance testing scheduled for Dec. 2 or Dec. 15 in Eastern’s W Lot is free of charge.
• Symptomatic students may be tested for COVID-19 at EIU’s Medical Clinic for $25.
• Information regarding cost of testing at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center can be found on the hospital’s website.

What kind of test is it?

• The test is called an "Anterior Nares Swab". This specimen is collected by inserting a foam swab a small distance into each nostril. The swab is rotated and kept in place for approximately 15 seconds in each nostril.

How will I be notified of the results?

• Students, employees, annuitants or community members who participate in COVID-19 surveillance testing on Dec. 2 or Dec. 15 will have had the opportunity to register for a My Chart account, which can be used to learn results as they become available. If you did not sign up for MyChart you can call the IDPH results number (1-888-297-7208) for your results.
• If students test at EIU’s Medical Clinic, they will receive a phone call from Medical Clinic staff if their test is positive. If the test is negative, the result will be available in the student’s Health and Counseling Services Patient Portal.

What do I do if I test positive?

• If you test positive as a result of a test through EIU's Medical Clinic, immediately separate yourselves from others and wait to be contacted by a contact tracer who will give you instructions.
• If you test positive outside of EIU’s Medical Clinic or are ordered to quarantine by representatives other than Coles County Health Department officials you should complete the "EIU COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Reporting Form" found on the Medical Clinic’s website. When the Medical Clinic receives this reporting form, a staff member will contact the student to provide further assistance with details, such as notification of faculty.

What do I do if I think I have been exposed to COVID-19?

• If you have neither tested positive nor been directed to quarantine but you are concerned you may have been exposed to COVID-19, call EIU’s Medical Clinic at 217-581-3013. The Medical Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If it is after hours, students should immediately separate themselves from others and call the Medical Clinic when it re-opens. While students await instruction from the Medical Clinic, those who have an active meal plan and live in a University residence may utilize "Panther Pick-Up" to designate another student to pick up meals for them at a Dining Center and leave the meals outside their door.

Do I have to follow the instructions of the contact tracer?

• Student and employee cooperation with contact tracers is required. For the safety of the EIU community and to continue mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 virus, all students, faculty, and staff are expected to comply and cooperate with the requests of COVID-19 contact tracers in a timely manner. Contact tracers work alongside and under the guidance of Dr. Sheila Simons, EIU Professor in the Department of Public Health. Any faculty or staff members who fail to comply will be referred to Human Resources and the office of Employee and Labor Relations for possible disciplinary action. Students who fail to comply will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Support and may receive an interim suspension and/or campus ban.

Where can I get information about COVID-19 cases at EIU?

• The university's COVID-19 online dashboard details numbers regarding on-campus cases and is updated weekly. The university has strategically partnered with the Coles County Health Department to accurately and responsibly track cases locally.