SARAH HUGHSTON
Social Media Manager
On Tuesday, Sept. 22 I got the dreaded email; I was selected for pool testing.
The email was fairly straightforward: watch an informational video, sign up through the SUNY COVID Test website and show up on time.
While anxiety played out every bad scenario in my mind, I clicked on the “How to Swab” video and breathed a small sigh of relief.
At least the tests were saliva-based and I didn’t have to do a nasal swab. I would have, of course, but it doesn’t sound ideal.
My testing time was that Friday morning, so I had a few days to mentally prepare.
As someone who hadn’t done any testing for COVID-19 yet, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
So, I clicked on the sign-up link. I had to create an account with an email, which was easy enough. Once I had an account, I could fill out the rest of my information, like emergency contacts and insurance details.
As long as you have a copy of your insurance card on you, it’s a fairly simple process.
By the time Friday came, I felt a little better about the test. I was still nervous about it, but I knew I’d feel better knowing for sure I didn’t have it.
The email told me the testing time was 8:30 to 10 a.m., meaning I had to show up anywhere in between those times.
I was glad my test was in the morning, since according to the email I couldn’t “eat or drink anything, including chewing gum, mints or lozenges within 30 minutes of reporting for [my] test,” in addition to not brushing my teeth within 3 hours before my test.
I headed to the back entrance of Steele Hall at 9:30, tired and still nervous.
There were about 50 people in the gym, all socially distanced, helping students or taking the COVID tests. I followed the blue X’s on the floor, and waited in line until it was my turn to get my temperature checked.
Once they asked me the same questions that are on the daily health screening and took my temperature, I moved on to the second checkpoint.
At this station, I swiped my FREDCard and they asked if I had brushed my teeth or ate or drank anything.
After moving to the next checkpoint, I needed to login to the SUNY COVID account that I had created. One of the helpers instructed me to click the “register a new test” button. The website clarified that I hadn’t eaten or brushed my teeth again, and then I was allowed to move onto the next station.
Once I stood in line for a while longer, the person at the table read me the barcode to identify my test while I typed them into the website, and then read them back to confirm the numbers were correct.
After my test was registered, I was given the vacuum-packed swab I would be using to take my test and was instructed which line to go into next.
The lines moved pretty quickly until this point, where I stood in line for maybe ten minutes. Once I got to the front, I was directed on how to take my test by a volunteer.
The person behind the table opened the test package for me and handed me the vial. I had to unscrew the swab, pull my mask down, and rub it under my tongue and around my gums. It was completely painless and quick.
I pulled my mask back up, and then flipped the swab so it would screw into the solution in the vial, creating a sealed test.
Once I put my tube in the collection tray, I was given a hand sanitizer and was officially free to go.
Luckily, I didn’t have classes during these times, though they were handing out passes if needed.
Over the next few days, I checked my email obsessively.
Four days later, I finally got an email with the subject “Pool Testing Results:”
I tested negative.
I took my first deep breath all week.
A few days later, I got another email: “You have been randomly selected through stratified random sampling to be a part of an upcoming pool test.” Again.
At least I knew what to expect this time.