Testing and Reporting

Right to privacy

MSU will not disclose the identity of any person or any information that could potentially identify a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 out of respect for their right to privacy. This includes, but is not limited to, an individual's place of work, residence and groups or teams an individual is associated with on campus, etc. We expect members of our community to respect that right to privacy as well.

Notification policy

As part of our effort to increase transparency while also protecting an individual’s right to privacy, MSU will observe the following communications protocols:

• MSU’s positive COVID-19 case tracker above will be updated each Monday. This information will include new cases each week categorized by employees and students.
• Contact tracers will notify individuals believed to have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive. (Definition of close contact: Sustained time — more than 15 minutes — within six feet of a confirmed COVID-19 case.)
• Because MSU is conducting appropriate contact tracing in partnership with the local health department to identify and notify anyone who might be at risk, units, departments and residence halls will not be sending an email each time there is a positive case on campus.

Testing

Any member of our community exhibiting signs of COVID-19 must seek immediate medical attention. If you are feeling ill or have tested positive for COVID-19 and have questions, contact MSU's COVID-19 Triage Hotline at 855-958-2678 or your primary health care provider.

If you are ill or test positive, you should self-isolate and avoid close contact with others. For students who live on campus, space for isolation will be provided. More information on what to do if you feel sick can be found on the CDC website. 

MSU has activated the following testing locations for students, faculty and staff to be tested (please have your insurance information available when going for a test):

Olin Health Center (by appointment only; for students experiencing symptoms)
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday

Spartan Stadium, Southeast Concourse, Gate B (no appointment necessary; for all members of the MSU community whether symptomatic or not)
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
Extended hours: 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday

MSU is utlizing its Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to perform COVID-19 diagnostic testing for the MSU community. MSU also is maintaining our close partnership with the Sparrow Health System to help process test samples.  

Contact tracing/notification app

MSU will continue to work with local health departments and the state on contact tracing for any potential cases. If you are believed to be a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, the county health department will follow up with you directly. 

In addition, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget and MSU have launched a COVID-19 exposure notification app pilot program for campus and the surrounding community. The app is a next step to help reduce the spread of the virus following increased testing and additional contact tracing efforts in Michigan. All members of the MSU community are strongly encouraged to sign up.

MSU COVID-19 Early Detection Program

Early detection remains critical to mitigating the spread of COVID-19. That is why the COVID-19 Early Detection Program is a key part of MSU's health and safety strategy. This initiative will help MSU identify the possible presence of the virus in people who are asymptomatic. By analyzing saliva samples throughout the semester, officials will be able to better monitor and manage infections on campus before outbreaks might occur. MSU is asking all faculty, staff and students who will be in the East Lansing area this fall to volunteer and by doing so, you’ll help us mitigate the spread of the virus — the larger our volunteer pool, the better we’ll be able to detect outbreaks. You can read more about the program and enroll here.

Finding a testing location elsewhere in Michigan

Call the state of Michigan's COVID Hotline at 888-535-6136 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and press 1 to be connected to an operator who can help you find a nearby location and schedule an appointment; or, visit Michigan.gov/CoronavirusTest to find testing locations near you and schedule an appointment. There are many locations where you can get tested at no cost to you.