January 22, 2021
From the expansive floor of Taffner Field House to a small research laboratory in St. Albert Hall, the COVID-19 entry testing and protocols greeting students as they return to campus for the spring semester are deeply rooted in both the academic experience and mission of St. John’s University. Since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, guided by a shared commitment to student wellness, the University has worked to keep the campus community safe and healthy while responding to the ongoing challenges posed by this global health crisis.
In an effort to expand access to COVID-19 testing for students, at present, hundreds of COVID-19 tests are readily available at the Queens, NY, campus and processed by a collaborative team of University personnel, supervising faculty, students, and volunteers.
“We are grateful to our campus community for following the public health guidelines during the fall resulting in a successful semester of in-person classes. It is incredibly important that we remain diligent in our efforts to take care of each other by recommitting to the Johnnies Care Commitment. We are optimistic that a combination of strategic COVID-19 testing, the introduction of the recently approved vaccine, and continued campus safety precautions will provide students the opportunity to engage in another successful semester of in-person instruction,” stated Kathryn T. Hutchinson, Ph.D., Vice President for the Division of Student Affairs.
As the spring semester gets underway and resident students return to campus, all students are required to schedule a COVID-19 test. If the test is administered off campus, results must be uploaded to the student health portal Medicat within five days of their first in-person class.
On campus, the University is providing a combination of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and antigen testing. Entry testing is done using the Abbott Binax antigen test—a self-administered, rapid test— that detects protein fragments specific to COVID-19. This service allows the University to quickly provide free rapid testing to students.
Turnaround time for the test results is very quick; students are typically notified of results within 60 to 90 minutes or even sooner, depending on the volume of people being tested. Students take the test in Taffner Field House under the direction of administrators from the Division of Student Affairs, and the samples are delivered to a team of pharmaceutical science students working under the direction of Marc E. Gillespie, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
“It is all about testing,” stated Dr. Gillespie. “We must regularly test in order to understand what our community on campus looks like and to keep people safe. Otherwise, we risk making the pandemic worse. Here at St. John’s, we always do our part to make things better.”
Working together in a laboratory to combat the effects of the pandemic is a team of students that reflects the global attributes of the St. John’s family and a shared commitment to service.
Lucy Wang, a fourth-year Pharmaceutical Sciences major specializing in Industrial Pharmacy from College Park, MD, described the personal impact of her efforts. “As a scientist, I usually work behind the scenes, but this experience processing COVID-19 tests enables me to do something to directly help our community. I am happy to help.”
Saif Alharthy is a doctoral student studying Toxicology who hails from Saudi Arabia, but of late his daily work in the lab makes him focus much closer to home. “This is a meaningful learning experience for me. At St. John’s, we want everyone on campus to be safe. As a fellow student, I want to help protect our local community.” Hunched over a workstation with a tray of test samples laid out before him, he reflected, “It is a small lab, but we make a big impact.”
In addition to providing COVID-19 testing, St. John’s was recently approved to be a site to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. University administrators are still waiting for the expansion and wider distribution of the vaccine before implementation.
Ali Shohatee, a doctoral student from Yemen now residing in Woodhaven, Queens, cites the Vincentian charism when reflecting on why he helps. “Our work is a testament to how St. John’s is invested in promoting our mission,” he remarked. “This is only the first step in helping our internal community—but it is the Vincentian way, it is the St. John’s way.”