Yesterday (7/12/2022), the State of Illinois issued Executive Order 2022-16 ending required testing for institutions of higher education, including Eastern Illinois University. Pursuant to the new order, weekly surveillance testing is no longer a requirement for any students or employees (with the exception of those employees who work in campus medical facilities).
Following this change, the University will continue to make testing available through EIU’s Medical Clinic to students presenting with symptoms. Likewise, the University expects faculty and staff to continue following best-practice guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control. All individuals should monitor themselves for symptoms, and utilize community-based testing as necessary or appropriate. Above all, students and employees should stay home if not feeling well.
Please know the University community will fully support students/employees who wish to continue masking, and/or participate in self-administered preventive testing to the degree they are comfortable.
Thank you for all you’ve done and will continue to do to keep our campus safe and our community healthy and vibrant.
For additional EIU-related COVID-19 information, students can contact EIU’s Medical Clinic, and employees can contact Human Resources.
Beginning Monday, July 18, Eastern Illinois University will no longer utilize the Shield system for COVID-19 surveillance testing. Starting on this date, those individuals required to participate in weekly Covid surveillance testing will be required to take self-administered rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. Employees may administer the test while working on campus (paid) or off-campus during their own time (unpaid).
The University will provide self-administered rapid antigen COVID-19 tests to students and employees who are unvaccinated, not fully vaccinated, or have not submitted their vaccination records. Individuals may acquire one free self-administered rapid antigen test kit per week by visiting any of the following on-campus locations:
Individuals may also use their own self-administered rapid antigen tests to fulfill this requirement. Individuals may place an order for free at-home self-administered rapid antigen COVID-19 tests at COVID.gov.
Beginning the week of July 18, EIU will send weekly testing reminders that will include information on how to certify you have completed a test.
To remain compliant with the University’s testing protocol and Executive Order students and employees who are unvaccinated, not fully vaccinated, or have not submitted their vaccination records are to participate in the on-campus COVID-19 testing program and report their results at least once every standard work week between 12:01 a.m. Monday and midnight the following Sunday.
Vaccination continues to be the best and most effective way to protect our friends, colleagues and community members from Coronavirus. Anyone who has not yet received a COVID-19 vaccination or booster is encouraged to do so. Vaccination locations can be found near campus or at regional clinics across the state. Information regarding obtaining a vaccine is available on the University’s COVID Hub. Individuals also are strongly encouraged to obtain and upload proof of a booster vaccine when they become eligible.
Individuals will be removed from the mandatory testing program once their full COVID-19 vaccination status is verified. This is done by logging into PAWS with your EIU credentials, selecting the MyHealth Tab, and selecting “COVID Vaccination Verification Form.”
Students who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should contact the Health and Counseling Services Medical Clinic. Employees who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should contact their medical provider.
SHIELD testing will remain in its same location – Court 5 in EIU’s Student Recreation Center. Further information will be included in the weekly reminder messages sent to those required to test.
On Aug. 26, Governor Pritzker issued an Executive Order (EO) with new mandates for all universities and colleges across the state. The new EO specifically states that all personnel and students working at and/or attending Illinois colleges and universities need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 except when religious beliefs or health circumstances preclude vaccination. In addition, all students and employees who are not fully vaccinated or have not had their vaccination card verified by the university MUST be tested for Covid-19 at least once every week. There are no exemptions from the weekly testing unless you are fully vaccinated and have had your vaccination card verified by EIU. Your participation in the weekly testing will be monitored by EIU’s COVID Response Team.
Employees and students who are unvaccinated, not yet fully vaccinated, or who do not wish to disclose their vaccination status with EIU will be required to submit to the mandatory weekly (or more frequent) SHIELD testing. In order to meet the expectations of the EO, students and employees who do not comply with mandated testing as required will be subject to disciplinary action.
The Executive Order and revised vaccination/testing policy at EIU became effective on Sept. 5, 2021.
SHIELD Illinois is upgrading to a new technology system offering enhanced features. You will need to create a SHIELD Illinois portal account upon completion of the consent form here: go.eiu.edu/EIUShield.
First, visit this page to submit your consent. After that, you will be redirected to the Shield Illinois registration page where you will register with EIU’s Agency Code:
Once your account is completed, you will be able to make an appointment.
ALL individuals who want to utilize SHIELD Testing at EIU must complete the new registration.
Once you have set up your portal account, you can register for a test. This creates a QR code in your patient account, and you should bring a screenshot/printout of that QR code to the appointment.
Please bring a photo ID. Individuals should not eat, drink (including water), chew gum, smoke, or use tobacco products within 60 minutes of providing a saliva sample. Doing any of these things within 60 minutes of providing a sample could produce an inconclusive result and require the individual to re-test. Test results will be posted in your patient portal after the lab results are completed.
As always, if participants need help creating an account, they can call the SHIELD Illinois patient support line at 217-265-6059, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are stairs leading into the testing location on Court 5 of the Student Rec Center. If you need accessibility accommodation, please email shield@eiu.edu in advance to plan for accommodation.
Eastern Illinois University is authorized to operate as a postsecondary educational institution by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.