Proactive Community Testing (PCT) for COVID-19
PCT is for patients who are feeling completely healthy. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild, you must be tested at the UHS Symptomatic Testing Center. Learn more and schedule your appointment. If you have tested positive on a rapid antigen test, your results should be considered a true positive. Do not return to PCT until you have completed your isolation period which is a minimum of 5 days. After this isolation period, if you need to test, you must use a rapid antigen test. Please make sure you select this test when visiting PCT. You can also purchase a rapid antigen home kit from a local pharmacy. PCR tests, which are the only tests used at the UHS Symptomatic Testing Center, should not be used for 90 days after any positive test.
Proactive Community Testing Schedule for January 19th - 30th, 2022
PCT Appointment Tips
- Help your community. If you’ve made a PCT appointment and can’t make it – cancel the appointment.
- After your PCT test, be sure to book your appointment for the following week. Appointments open one week ahead.
- Check the evening prior to or the morning of the day you want to test for available appointments.
- Our PCT sites at Jester and SSB are by appointment, but you can walk-in for testing at the Texas Union!
- If you need a test for airline travel, please select PCT PCR Saliva Sample (Available Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm. Results in 6-12 hrs) when scheduling your PCT appointment through UHS.
About PCT
Proactive Community Testing (PCT) provides a quick and painless saliva or painless nasal-swab COVID-19 test for asymptomatic UT Austin students and employees. Testing helps the campus community monitor and respond to COVID-19 cases, contributes significantly to slowing the spread of the virus and is provided at no cost by the university.
PCT FAQs
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, call your healthcare provider. Students, contact the University Health Services Symptomatic Testing Center for testing options. Employees, contact your healthcare provider or UT Health Austin.
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 must be around others after 5 days, then a negative rapid antigen test on or after day 5 can reassure you and others that you are no longer 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?
Considerations |
Rapid Antigen Nasal Swab Test
|
PCR Saliva Sample Test
|
Advantages1 |
Rapid identification of infectiousness
|
Most sensitive test available
|
Sample collection |
Short nasal swab
|
Saliva, nothing by mouth 30 minutes prior
|
Turnaround time |
15 – 30 minutes
|
Typically, 6-12 hours
|
When offered |
Weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
|
Weekday mornings, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
|
Qualifications for test type |
No COVID-19 in the past 5 days
|
No COVID-19 in the past 90 days
|
Test Type |
LFD/LFA Antigen
|
NAAT RT-PCR
|
Recommended Testing Frequency |
Twice a week, at least 36 hours between tests
|
Weekly
|
| Rapid Antigen Nasal Swab Test
|
Advantage: Rapid identification of infectiousness
|
Sample collection: Short nasal swab
|
Turnaround time: 15 – 30 minutes
|
When offered: Weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
|
Qualifications for test type: No COVID-19 in the past 5 days
|
Test Type: LFD/LFA Antigen
|
Recommended Testing Frequency: Twice a week, at least 36 hours between tests
|
| PCR Saliva Sample Test
|
Advantage: Most sensitive test available
|
Sample collection: Saliva, nothing by mouth 30 minutes prior
|
Turnaround time: Typically, 6-12 hours
|
When offered: Weekday mornings, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
|
Qualifications for test type: No COVID-19 in the past 90 days
|
Test Type: NAAT RT-PCR
|
Recommended Testing Frequency: Weekly
|
1More information here: CDC Table 1
How To Schedule a Proactive Community Test for COVID-19
Log into the MyUHS patient portal:
- Click Profile. Ensure we have the best phone number and local address for you. We will call this Profile number, if necessary.
- If this is your first time to schedule an appointment through the MyUHS patient portal since June 22, 2020:
- Select Medical Clearances and sign UHS Consent to Treat.
- Select Health History. Click Done or Looks Good.
- Click Appointments, then Schedule an Appointment.
- Select your UT Austin status. If you are both a UT student and employee, select Student.
- Follow insurance status prompts.
- When prompted, select “I want an appointment for a COVID-19 test or COVID-19 concern.”
- Select "I do NOT have symptoms of COVID-19. I just want a COVID-19 test (including Proactive Community Testing)."
- Follow prompts to schedule.
- Save a screenshot of your appointment QR code or access it via the MyUHS portal to present at your appointment.
- Carefully read the information in On the Day of Your Test (below) to ensure that you can be tested on the day of your appointment and maximize the accuracy of your result.
Log into the MyUHS patient portal:
- Click Profile. Ensure we have the best phone number and local address for you. We will call this Profile number, if necessary.
- If this is your first time to schedule an appointment since June 22, 2020:
- Select Medical Clearances and sign the UHS Consent to Treat.
- Select Health History. Click done or Looks Good.
- Click Appointments, then Schedule an Appointment.
- Select your UT Austin status. If you are both a UT student and employee, select Student.
- Select the option to schedule Proactive Community Testing and follow prompts.
- Save a screenshot of your appointment QR code or access it via the MyUHS portal to present at your appointment.
- Carefully read the information in On the Day of Your Test below to ensure that you can be tested on the day of your appointment and maximize the accuracy of your result.
On the Day of Your Test
- If you do not feel healthy, cancel your appointment and contact your healthcare provider. Students, contact University Health Services for testing options. Employees, contact your health provider or UT Health Austin.
- Download the Protect Texas Together App and:
- Complete the Symptom Survey for your Campus Pass. If denied access, cancel your PCT appointment, do not come to campus and contact your healthcare provider as noted above
- Give your consent to be tested. Click the PCT tile and follow prompts. You must show your Campus Pass and PCT Consent at the clinic. If you cannot use the app, paper forms for symptom checking and giving consent are available at the clinic.
- 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).
- If testing in the Student Services Building, free parking is available in the 27th Street Garage. Bring your parking ticket into the clinic for validation.
Test Results
- 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 Medical Records and select the Labs tab.
- For the exteral vendor located in the Texas Union, results will be available on the vendor's portal.
- A secure message will be sent to you for all results.
- Results will not be released to your department/faculty/employer.
- If positive, your results may be shared with appropriate entities, such as Austin Public Health or HealthPoint/Occupational Health Program, for contact tracing purposes.
- Those testing positive for COVID-19 through PCT will be offered an at home testing kit to be mailed to their isolation address, while supplies last. This information will be sent via a secure message in the MyUHS patient portal. Learn about the steps to take after you have tested positive for COVID-19 by viewing the Exposure Action Chart.
Student Organization Spring PCT Competition: Jan 18 - Mar 25, 2022
Active registered and sponsored student organizations can compete to win (remove this link until updated one is ready) a dinner cruise on Lady Bird Lake by testing each week with PCT. Active members of student organizations can join the competition to support their organization.
Fall 2021 winners will be announced soon!
Terms and Conditions apply.
PCT Participation by Classification Dashboard
The UT Austin COVID-19 Dashboard now includes information about the percentages of undergraduate students (by graduating class), graduate students and faculty and staff who have participated in on-campus PCT each week during the Fall 2021 semester. See where your classification stands.
Protect Texas Together App Activity Pass and PCT
A “cleared” designation (green check) in your Activity Pass allows you to attend university-related events where COVID-19 documentation is required for one week from the date of your last PCT test. To begin this process:
- Test with PCT and sign the Activity Pass consent housed in the Protect Texas Together App.
- When your result becomes available in the MyUHS portal (see Results above), your Activity Pass will be updated with your clearance designation. If the virus is not detected, your “cleared” designation will be valid for one week.
- Test weekly to keep your green check.
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.
