Frequently Asked Questions, Fall 2021

Students, faculty and staff living in on-campus housing who do not meet Boise State’s testing exemption criteria will be required to obtain a PCR COVID-19 saliva test upon returning to campus. Please make plans to test 3-5 days following your arrival on campus. We recommend the COVID Testing Center located on campus for your convenience. As long as you are (and remain) asymptomatic, you may go about your normal campus activities (i.e. moving into the residence hall, attending classes, dining at the University Dining Services, going to the REC Center, etc.) while awaiting your test results. Please observe all health and safety protocols during this time.

The Boise State COVID Testing Center administers a saliva based RT-PCR diagnostic COVID-19 test that will show if you have an active coronavirus infection and need to isolate yourself from others. In order to prevent an inconclusive test result, do NOT eat, drink, smoke or chew gum 30 minutes prior to testing.

After testing at the COVID Testing Center, you will receive an email 1-3 business days later letting you know when your test result is ready. Results are accessible from your secure patient portal. Boise State follows all state and federal privacy requirements in maintaining and processing your information.

If you have insurance, please bring your insurance card with you to your appointment. The COVID Testing Center will bill your insurance, and you will not be charged a copay or other out-of-pocket fees.

Boise State students and employees who do not have insurance but are required to test by the university will never be charged a fee for testing services. Additionally, those under 18 will not be turned away regardless of ability to pay.

All other individuals without insurance may pay, with check or credit card, to be tested by Boise State, or can request a Vault mail-in test at no cost.

Testing is fast and easy at Boise State!

Location and Contact Information
COVID Testing Center
Campus School Building (click for map)
Room 107/109
COVIDtesting@boisestate.edu
(208) 426-1523

Campus School is located between the Brady Street Garage, Interactive Learning Center and the Mathematics Building. To access the testing center, enter using the northeast entrance from the parking lot located between Campus School and the Interactive Learning Center.

Parking
Limited complimentary parking is available in the lot located northeast of Campus School, or in the Brady Street Garage during your appointment. Additional pay-to-park options are available in the Brady Street Garage.

Hours
Regular hours: Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. by appointment only. Mobile testing kit pickup and dropoff is also available to individuals without an appointment. Kits are available outside of Campus School.

Operating days and hours are subject to change.

Please visit the COVID Testing Appointment page for detailed instructions on how to schedule your testing appointment.

If you are part of an ongoing testing pool such as Athletics or Club Sports and are regularly testing as part of that pool before arriving on campus, you may not have to test as part of the Residence Hall testing group. Please email publichealth@boisestate.edu if you have questions concerning testing.

As part of your Housing Agreement with Boise State University and in compliance with Boise State’s Communicable Disease Policy (Policy 9270), you are required to comply with all Boise State COVID testing requirements. At any time, the university may request information or documentation from an individual supporting the reason for a missed test to determine whether administrative or disciplinary action is warranted. Upon request by the university, you are expected to provide honest and accurate information.

Providing false or misleading information to avoid testing requirements may result in restriction on access to or use of university facilities, loss of funding, restrictions on activities and/or suspension or loss of university privileges. The university may also pursue additional disciplinary action in accordance with relevant university policies, including the Student Code of Conduct.

Yes, there are three possible exemptions from required testing. You must follow the exemption process completely to receive an exemption. Please visit the Testing Exemptions page for a full explanation of exemption criteria and the process to receive the exemption.

You may be exempted from testing if you meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. You are currently asymptomatic and fully vaccinated with a COVID vaccine (e.g. Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson). You are currently asymptomatic and have tested positive for COVID in the last 3 months prior to your arrival on campus.
2. You are asymptomatic and test negative for COVID through a third party testing provider. Your test is a PCR test and occurs in the required testing window (3-5 days following your arrival to campus).
3. You provide the Public Health Office with the negative test result as outlined on the exemptions page.

You’re considered fully vaccinated when:

• 2 weeks have passed since you received the second dose in a 2-dose series, like the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or
• 2 weeks have passed since you received a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

If less than 2 weeks have passed since you received the second dose in a 2-dose series or since you received a single dose vaccine, or if you’ve only received one dose of a 2-dose series and are in between doses, you are NOT fully protected and will not qualify for an exemption from testing or from quarantine if you have a close contact to someone with COVID.

If you meet one of the exemption criteria, please go to the Testing Exemptions page and follow the instructions.

If you live on campus and test positive for COVID, have had a close contact exposure to someone with COVID, or have symptoms of COVID, the Public Health staff will call you to discuss your situation and assist you with next steps, which may include isolation or quarantine.

If it is determined that you need to isolate, Public Health will involve the following teams as needed to support you:

• COVID Nursing team
• Housing and Residence Life
• The Office of the Dean of Students (if you’re enrolled in classes)
• Human Resources (if you’re employed on campus)
• University Dining Services (whether or not you have a meal plan)

Arrangements will be made to move you to the campus isolation hall. Alternatively, you may make arrangements with Boise State Public Health and in connection with private (not public) transportation to isolate off campus.

You will work with the Public Health Contact Tracing Team and COVID Nursing team to move from your residence hall to Jade Hall. Our COVID Nursing team will help you get settled and is available 12 hours a day (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.), 7 days a week to assist you with your needs. You will receive a detailed email from Public Health identifying the items you should pack, what amenities are available in the isolation hall, where to park, how to order meals, and the address for delivery of any packages or food during your stay.

Our COVID Nursing Team will reach out to you daily and ask that you provide a daily check in report on how you are doing. Additionally, you will be contacted by the Dean of Students Office to assist you with your academic needs and to provide you with campus resources to help you through your isolation period. To protect yourself and others, you will not be permitted to visit with friends and family in person and should connect virtually or by phone until completing your isolation period. Once you’re in isolation, you may only leave to seek medical attention or to get a breath of fresh air.

If you are in isolation or quarantine and you have a meal plan through University Dining Services, you will receive a detailed email on how you will be able to continue using your meal plan and have your meals delivered to you. If you do not have a meal plan you will have the option to purchase a limited meal plan or you can have food or groceries delivered directly to you.

Once you test positive for COVID you cannot shorten your isolation period through additional or repeat testing. A positive test result for COVID will require you to complete your entire isolation period.

The COVID Vaccination Clinic, as a service of the Public Health office, is an enrolled Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccination Program Provider. COVID vaccination services are available by appointment depending upon vaccine supply allocated from the State of Idaho and clinic operations. Vaccines are provided by the Boise State Vaccination Clinic free of charge.

Location
Boise State Vaccination Clinic (map)
208-426-2969
2100 W University Dr
Campus School Room 106A
Boise, ID 83706

Campus School is located between the Brady Street Garage, Interactive Learning Center and the Mathematics Building. Enter using the northeast entrance, which can be accessed from the parking lot located between Campus School and the Interactive Learning Center.

Parking
Limited complimentary parking, including accessible parking, is available in the parking lot located northeast of Campus School, or in the Brady Street Garage during your appointment. Additional pay-to-park options are available in the Brady Street Garage.

Hours
Regular hours are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Walk-in and scheduled vaccinations are available from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Operating days and hours are subject to change.

Getting vaccinated remains the most effective way university community members can reduce the risk of COVID infection, serious illness, hospitalization and death. Additionally, the CDC recommends individuals get the flu vaccine this year to help lessen the strain on healthcare and hospital systems. The Boise State Vaccination Clinic offers free COVID vaccinations, and University Health Services offers flu vaccinations to members of the university community. Both vaccines are also broadly available from community providers.

The CDC recommends certain individuals receive booster shots. Eligibility extends to university students, faculty and staff due to increased risk of exposure. CDC approved boosters are available for free at the Boise State Vaccination Clinic.

You can request a replacement COVID-19 vaccination card from Boise State only if you were vaccinated at Boise State University at the Boise State Vaccination Clinic, including our pop-up clinics at the ExtraMile Arena or other authorized location.

If you are in Boise or the surrounding area and would like a replacement COVID-19 vaccine card, please visit our Boise State Vaccination Clinic in person, located at 2100 University Drive, between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Bring a valid government issued ID.

If you are unable to visit the clinic in person, we can send you an electronic copy of your vaccination card (we do NOT send CDC issued vaccine cards in the mail).

To receive this electronic copy, email covidvaccine@boisestate.edu and provide the following information:

• the full name of the person whose record is being requested
• student or employee ID number
• mailing address used when registering for the vaccination to be used as identification verification
• a copy of the following acknowledgement statement: I acknowledge that communications via email over the internet are not secure and that although it is unlikely, there is a possibility that information I include in this email can be intercepted and read by other parties besides the person to whom it is addressed.

If you are a member of the Boise State community, please use your university email address to contact us.

If you were vaccinated at a location other than Boise State University, please contact that location to inquire as to the process to replace a lost card.

Campus community members who feel unwell should stay home (except to seek testing and/or medical care), and contact Public Health. Free testing services are available to campus community members (independent of insurance status) at the COVID Testing Center by appointment weekdays 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. or by deposit of a self-service mobile testing kit. Those individuals awaiting test results should stay home unless to seek medical care.

Individuals who may have been exposed to someone with COVID should reach out to Public Health to determine the need for quarantine and the associated duration. Individuals who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine after contact with someone with COVID unless they are symptomatic. However, the CDC does recommend that fully vaccinated persons get tested 3-5 days after exposure, even if they do not have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.

Regardless of your vaccination status, it is important that you reach out to the Public Health office if you develop COVID-like symptoms. While uncommon, breakthrough COVID infections are possible in those who are fully vaccinated. The Public Health office will work with individuals to review their symptoms, any potential exposures and appropriate next steps.

Remember that in order to be considered fully vaccinated, 2 weeks must pass after you received the final dose of the vaccine in your vaccine series or you received a dose of a single-dose vaccine. Therefore, while you are waiting for your 2 weeks to pass, or if you are between doses in a 2-dose series, be sure to continue taking appropriate precautions such as distancing and masking.

If you develop symptoms, or have an exposure to a COVID positive individual before you’re fully vaccinated, reach out to the Public Health office to discuss your situation and receive direction on next steps. The absence of masking and distancing will mean it is all the more important for the Public Health office to identify potential cases of COVID, in both unvaccinated, fully vaccinated, and partially vaccinated individuals so that steps can be taken to limit spread and achieve a safe and healthy campus environment for all campus community members.

Even after you meet the fully vaccinated or fully immune status following your COVID vaccine, learning you might have had an exposure to the virus may be disconcerting. While your risk of contracting COVID is extremely low, it is not impossible. Evaluate yourself (or consult your healthcare provider) for symptoms of COVID, even if you think your symptoms might be related to some other condition.

As long as you remain asymptomatic and your exposure to COVID occurred after you’re fully vaccinated, you do not need to quarantine. Instead, continue to monitor yourself for symptoms over the 14-day period following your last exposure. If you are symptomatic, reach out to the Public Health office to discuss your situation.

If you have/had an exposure before you reach full vaccination or fully immune status, contact the Public Health office to discuss your situation regardless of whether or not you have symptoms.

Yes, a testing/quarantine exemption is only valid so long as you remain asymptomatic. Please reach out to the Public Health office should you develop symptoms while you have an active exemption to discuss next steps. Previous positive COVID exemptions are only issued for the 3 months following a verified positive COVID case.

Testing Requirements or General Public Health Questions
Email publichealth@boisestate.edu or call 208-426-2968

Scheduling tests or how to retrieve test results
Email covidtesting@boisestate.edu or call 208-426-1523

How to schedule a vaccination appointment, lost vaccine card or other vaccination related questions
Email covidvaccine@boisestate.edu or call 208-426-2969