The Daily Gamecock

Saliva tests on Davis Field canceled until Tuesday

<p>&nbsp;Seats are set up for COVID-19 testing on Davis Field.&nbsp;</p>
 Seats are set up for COVID-19 testing on Davis Field. 

Saliva testing on Davis Field has been canceled for Thursday and Friday because of staffing shortages, university spokesperson Jeff Stensland said in a text interview.

Stensland said saliva testing will resume next Tuesday. According to the College of Pharmacy website, saliva testing was already not scheduled to occur on Monday because of Labor Day.

"[D]ue to a staffing shortage at the saliva lab we are temporarily postponing testing until additional resources can be put in place," Stensland said.

In an email, Edgar Santana, director of public relations and marketing for Student Health Services, said Student Health Services was not told why the delay occurred initially.

Students who are experiencing symptoms should get a nasal swab test through Student Health Services, the College of Pharmacy website says. Appointments are available through MyHealthSpace.

In a town hall on Wednesday, University President Bob Caslen said it's important the university continues testing and finds the positive cases. 

"It's our intent to continue high testing because we want to find the positives. Frankly, it goes — kind of goes against us 'cause the more we're testing, the more positive we're going to find, but it's important to find the positives 'cause we want to find them, we want to take care of them and we want to get them back into the classroom," Caslen said.

Read an update on the staff shortage here.

Editor's note: This story was last updated at 2:58 p.m. Sept. 3.


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