Testing

Order Free Tests

Residential households in the U.S. are eligible to order four free at-home tests from the U.S Postal Service. Each order includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. Details about at-home tests are available on covidtests.gov.

Testing Process 

Students

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, students can be tested with an order from a Student Health Services’ medical provider or a referral from the contact tracing team. Testing is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except for the 2nd Friday of each month, opening at 9:30 a.m.). Making an appointment is required to help maintain physical distancing and reduce student wait times. 

To obtain an order from an SHS provider:

  • Schedule via My BuckMD
  • Select appointment reason, TELEHEALTH - COVID symptoms
  • This will schedule a telehealth appointment with the provider.
  • SHS provider will call you during your Teleheath appointment to address your medical concerns.

To schedule a testing appointment:

  • Schedule via My BuckMD
  • Select appointment reason, Covid-19 Testing ordered by SHS Provider or Contact Tracing.
  • This will not create an appointment with a provider, rather sign the student up for an assigned testing time.

Note: If you are unable to schedule via My BuckMD, please try these tips:

  • Switch browser to Google Chrome (most up-to-date version)
  • Clear browsing history
  • Conduct from a laptop or desktop

After your specimen is collected, you are required to self-quarantine in your residence and may not return to normal campus activities until your test result is available. This time frame may vary, but most results should be available between 2-3 business days after the specimen is collected. This brief self-quarantine is required out of an abundance of caution because it is possible to be infected with COVID-19 and have no symptoms.

Employees 

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, contact your local primary care provider (PCP) for a health assessment and direction. If you do not have a PCP, you can schdeule an appointment through MyChart. To create a MyChart account, please visit https://mychart.osu.edu/osumc/signup to complete the registration form. For assistance with MyChart, please call MyChart Technical Support at 866-966-6975 (available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.) or email MyChartTechSupport@osumc.edu. 

Report Positive Tests

If you test positive for COVID-19, please report your results to Columbus Public Health COVID-19 Self-Report Survey Please note that isolation and quarantine guidance may vary based on specific circumstances, including for health care personnel and the immunocompromised. Please visit the Isolation and Quarantine webpage for general guidance.