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:

• Booth Library (Circulation Desk)
• Housing and Dining Office (lower floor, MLK Jr. University Union)
• Health Education Resource Center (2201 Blair Hall)
• Facilities, Planning and Management (Central Stores)

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.

For the summer of 2022, EIU’s weekly SHIELD testing requirement will remain in place as follows for employees and students who are unvaccinated, not yet fully vaccinated, or do not wish to disclose their vaccination status:

• Staff: All staff on contract will continue testing exactly as they are now.
• Faculty: Will test each week during which they have a contract to teach an on-campus course.
• Students: Will test each week during which they have an on-campus class that meets.  Additionally, students living in University housing will test each week that their housing contract is active.

Beginning Monday, May 9, SHIELD testing will be conducted on the following days/times:

• Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Wednesday: 3 - 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday: 8 - 10:30 a.m. 

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.

Continuing Testing for Those Who Are Unvaccinated or Have Chosen Not to Disclose Their Vaccination Status

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:

• Student Agency Code: uudf4suv-stu
• Employee Agency Code: uudf4suv-emp

Once your account is completed, you will be able to make an appointment.

• Please select “Student Recreation Center - Court 5” for the location.
• Test results will be posted in the patient portal after the lab results are completed.
• For future tests, you can make your appointment directly through the patient portal.

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.

Participants will enter through the Northwest exterior doors of the building. Please do not use the main Student Rec Center doors.

Please note: 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.

When results are available, you will receive an email notifying you that new information is available in your MySHIELDIllinois Portal. Click the link, then log in using the username and password you set when signing up for the portal.

SUMMER 2002 TESTING HOURS:

Testing takes place on Court 5 of the Student Rec Center.

• Tuesdays: 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 3 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
• Thursdays: 8 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 

Participants will enter through the Northwest exterior doors of the building. Please do not use the main Student Rec Center doors.

Please note: 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.

• The test is saliva-based, is non-invasive, and only takes a few minutes to do.
• Individuals should not eat, drink (including water), chew gum, smoke, or consume tobacco products for one hour prior to the test.
• This Molecular LDT COVID‐19 Test is designed for use in a single laboratory to detect the virus that causes COVID‐19 in respiratory specimens, such as saliva. The testing method uses a novel PCR method developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign.

The saliva test has a specificity of 99.8-99.9%, with very few false positives. Studies to date are consistent with this saliva test not being less accurate than a nasal test.

Yes. The saliva test developed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign detects the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, including new variants that have been identified to date.

• Negative: The virus was not detected.
• Invalid: The sample was non-optimal and could not produce appropriate data during testing at the lab. (Invalid results typically occur when non-optimal saliva samples are submitted. Before your next test, please be sure to refrain from eating, drinking, tooth brushing, mouth washing, or tobacco use for at least 1 hour prior to submitting your saliva sample. For best results, it is recommended to hydrate during the morning and get tested in the afternoon.)
• Positive: The virus was detected.
• Inconclusive: The sample was able to be processed in the lab, but was not able to definitively provide a detected or not detected result.
• Rejected: The sample was not able to begin the testing process in the lab. (This is likely due to low sample volume, the cap coming off the tube in transport or other damage to the tube, and/or extremely poor sample quality. Before your next test, please be sure to refrain from eating, drinking, tooth brushing, mouth washing, or tobacco use for at least 1 hour prior to submitting your saliva sample. For best results, it is recommended to hydrate during the morning and get tested in the afternoon.)

• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days, you should not participate in SHIELD testing at this time. For temporary exclusion from testing, employees should email Linda Holloway in Human Resources (lcholloway2@eiu.edu) and students should email Georgia Ryan in the Medical Clinic (garyan@eiu.edu).
• If it has been more than 90 days since you had COVID and you have not verified your full vaccination with EIU, you will be required to test.

If you are fully vaccinated, you will not be required to participate in SHIELD testing. If you are unvaccinated or do not disclose your vaccination status you will be required to participate in EIU’s mandatory testing program. If you have been vaccinated, but believe you are experiencing symptoms of COVID, please contact the EIU Medical Clinic.

Individuals who have tested positive within the last five days should not retest. Retesting will not result in eliminating the quarantine requirements.

• If you have any general questions about the testing, please email shield@eiu.edu.
• If you are having issues signing into the portal or creating an account, call SHIELD IL Help at 217-265-6059. This is a 24/7 service. They will not release results, but they can assist people with access and supply reactivation codes/unlock accounts for patients.
• Remember, MySHIELDIllinois is NOT to be used for urgent needs. For medical emergencies, dial 911.

• First, check all of your inboxes for an activation email from no-reply@illinois.edu (including spam and clutter).
• If you are required to test or want to voluntarily test and you received some communication from SHIELD Illinois (no-reply@illinois.edu), you should call the Shield Help Desk at 217-265-6059 for assistance. They will be able to send you a new activation code to set up your SHIELD account.
• If you are required to test/want to voluntarily test, but have not received any communication from SHIELD Illinois, you should be able to use open scheduling at the following link: go.eiu.edu/EIUShield. Then, you will be prompted to create an account with Shield to receive your results. Remember your SHIELD username and password, as you will need it to make appointments in the future.
• If you call the Shield Help Desk and they say that they do not have you in their system, you can schedule your FIRST test at go.eiu.edu/EIUShield. Then, you will be prompted to create an account with Shield to receive your results. Remember your SHIELD username and password, as you will need it to make appointments in the future.
• If you are required to test/want to voluntarily test and this is NOT your first time using SHIELD Illinois testing at EIU, you will login with your SHIELD username and password to see your results and/or to make another appointment.
• After your first time using go.eiu.edu/EIUShield or open scheduling, it will require you to log in to make future appointments.
• Remember your SHIELD username and password as you will need them to make appointments in the future.