Proactive Community Testing (PCT) – Asymptomatic Testing for COVID-19

About

Proactive Community Testing (PCT) provides a quick and painless saliva or nasal-swab COVID-19 test for asymptomatic UT Austin students, faculty and staff. Testing helps the campus community respond to COVID-19 cases and contributes significantly to slowing the spread of the virus. PCT is provided at no cost by the university.

If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild, see this information on symptomatic testing.

To Qualify for PCT

You must be a current UT Austin student or employee who:

• Is not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, even if mild. PCT is for those who are 100% healthy. If you feel even a little sick, contact your healthcare provider or see this information on symptomatic testing.
• To take the PCR saliva sample test, you must not have had a positive COVID-19 test within the past 90 days.
• To take the rapid antigen nasal swab test, you must not have had a positive COVID-19 test within the past 5 days.
• If you have recently tested positive and must be around others, then a negative rapid antigen test on the evening of day 5 or morning of day 6 can reassure you and others that you are LESS LIKELY TO BE infectious. Test only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may persist for months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation).

Which Test Should I Choose?

¹More information here: CDC Table 1

Proactive Community Testing Schedule for August 5th - August 15th, 2022

Student Services Building Parking

Free parking is available in the 27th Street Garage (TSG). Bring your parking ticket into the clinic for validation.

How To Schedule a Proactive Community Test for COVID-19

On the Day of Your Test

• If you do not feel healthy, cancel your appointment and contact your healthcare provider or see this information on symptomatic testing.
• If you are receiving the PCR saliva sample test:
  • Drink water so you are hydrated for the test, but do not eat, drink, brush your teeth or use tobacco for 30 minutes before your appointment.
  • Do not apply lip products before your appointment (e.g., lip balm, lipstick or lip gloss).
  • If you are receiving the PCR saliva sample test for travel documentation, please verify testing requirements with your destination and airlines.
• If you are receiving the rapid antigen nasal swab test on or after day 5 of having COVID-19, test only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation).

Test Results and Exposure Action Chart

• PCR saliva sample test results are available typically in 6-12 hours.
• Rapid Antigen nasal swab test results are given within 15-30 minutes.
• Results will be available on the MyUHS patient portal. To access results, log in, click Health Records and select the Labs tab.
• A secure message will be sent to you for all results.
• Results will not be released to your department/faculty/employer.
• If you test positive, notify all your close contacts starting from 2 days prior to testing positive or symptom onset and ask them to test 3-5 days following your last interaction, regardless of their vaccination status. Learn about additional steps to take by viewing the Exposure Action Chart.
• Call the Behavior Concerns and COVID-19 Advice Line (BCCAL) at 512-232-5050, option 2 if you need assistance with isolation.

Laboratory Information and CLIA Certificate

Saliva PCR specimens are analyzed by the UT Austin High Throughput Testing Core (HTTC), a unit of the Center for Biomedical Research Support (CBRS) core research facility (Office of the Vice-President for Research). HTTC is certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) to perform clinically diagnostic testing. View our CLIA certificate.

Rapid Antigen short nasal swab tests are conducted by UHS. View UHS Laboratory licenses.

For questions about PCT not answered above, email pct@austin.utexas.edu.