Free Testing
Help slow the spread of COVID-19 on campus by participating in screening testing. Open to all current WCU students, faculty and staff.
Scientific research suggests that COVID-19 can be spread by individuals with no known contact to positive COVID-19 and are not experiencing any symptoms. Surveillance testing helps identify those cases.
Hours: Monday - Friday afternoons from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Bird Building. Schedule online though the Health Services Patient Portal.
If you need testing because you are feeling sick or concerned about a recent exposure, call Health Services at 828.227.7640 to discuss your situation with the COVID-19 Triage Nurse.
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Two types of testing is used to diagnosis current COVID-19 infections. WCU Health Services offers both types of testing. Rapid antigen testing allows for quick identification of positive cases, helping start the contact trace process quickly. Negative rapid tests are confirmed by a PCR test for anyone experiencing symptoms.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), each test looks for something different to determine if someone is infected: a PCR test looks for the virus’s genetic material, while an antigen test looks for specific proteins on the surface of the virus. PCR tests are processed in a laboratory, which can take a few days; antigen tests are often processed at the point of care, such as in a health care provider’s office, in about 15 minutes.