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After establishing a low rate of coronavirus transmission on campus, Syracuse University is adjusting its testing approach to maintain that low rate through the end of the semester. 

SU announced plans on Wednesday to shift its coronavirus testing strategy from widespread mandatory testing to “freedom from disease” sampling that will entail ongoing randomized testing of students. Two SU epidemiologists told The Daily Orange the new protocol will further limit the virus’s spread on campus during the second half of the semester.

Under the new model, which emerged from veterinary science, SU will pair wastewater surveillance and targeted testing for students who had exposure to the virus with random testing that catches any additional cases, said David Larsen, an associate professor of public health at SU. 

“It’s all targeted around giving us confidence that our wastewater (testing) is working, as well as helping to spot any more infections that the wastewater might have missed,” said Larsen, who served on SU’s Public Health and Emergency Management Subcommittee, which has advised administrators about the health implications of holding in-person classes.

SU designed its initial testing protocol, which it employed as students moved into dorms and started the semester, to create a campus bubble with a low rate of virus transmission, Larsen said. The “freedom from disease” approach reflects the maintenance phase of the university’s coronavirus response, he said. 

Under the new testing model, SU will also make on-campus testing available to faculty and staff. 

Brooks Gump, a professor of public health at SU, said the new testing protocol is especially effective when there is already a low positivity rate among the student population. As of Monday, SU reported nine cases among students, faculty and staff in central New York and 40 students in quarantine. 

“The advantage with this new approach is that you can do much less testing and yet remain able to detect emerging infection,” Gump said. 

SU has started the random testing of residence halls using the “freedom from disease” approach, Larsen said. The university selects between 50% and 75% of students in large residence halls for random tests. In residence halls with fewer students, SU conducts building-wide tests.

Starting Wednesday, SU will also shift its main testing site from the Quad to the Carrier Dome. Students can enter the new testing center through Gate N Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., said Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, in a campus-wide email Monday. 

The university will suspend coronavirus testing at the Skybarn on South Campus to transition the building to a flu shot clinic, Haynie said. SU has mandated students receive a flu shot sometime in the next month by registering through the Barnes Center at the Arch’s patient portal.

SU will resume testing at the Skybarn when the flu shot clinic closes later this month, Haynie said.

The shift in testing strategy comes as SU also adopts changes to its wastewater surveillance protocol. 

Earlier in the semester, SU placed dorms under quarantine after the surveillance program found traces of coronavirus in the buildings’ wastewater. The university has since modified its approach to monitor for spikes in the virus’s presence in wastewater that could indicate a new case in the facility before taking action.

The weak traces of the virus SU found in earlier wastewater testing likely resulted from individuals who had already recovered from the virus but continued to shed it, university officials have said.

In addition to randomized testing and targeted testing guided by wastewater surveillance and contact tracing, SU will also conduct large-scale testing of the entire student body at least two more times before the semester ends. Additional widespread testing will ensure the virus transmission rate remains under control until on-campus classes end before Thanksgiving, Larsen said. 

“We decided to add a couple more testing dates to help knock down transmission and get us through the semester,” he said. 

Public health officials, including Larsen, have cautioned that the virus’s transmission at SU could increase as the weather becomes colder.

SU’s final two rounds of widespread mandatory testing will take place at the end of October and again shortly before Thanksgiving. The last round of testing will serve to identify the virus in students before they return to their communities and families, Larsen said. 

“It’s not a guarantee that they’re not going to bring the virus back home, but it will help identify and screen out some of that,” he said. 

Published on October 5, 2020 at 11:11 pm

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3