Voluntary Self-administered Saliva Testing Results

To the members of the New York Medical College (NYMC) and Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) Community:

In response to the nationwide surge of COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant and gatherings and travel during the holidays, NYMC offered voluntary self-administered saliva testing as a service to students, faculty, and staff in early January. The results were:

January 4, 2022 – 132 samples taken:

113 negative
8 inconclusive/unresolved
11 positive

January 10, 2022 – 94 samples taken:

92 negative
2 inconclusive
0 positive

We were prepared for increased numbers in positive tests among our community as there are a record-breaking number of cases throughout the United States.

Persons with positive results are subject to the new quarantine and isolation guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) as previously communicated.

Surveillance screening is not a substitute for common sense preventative measures. We must all continue to adhere to physical distancing, wear face coverings, practice good hand-washing hygiene, complete the health attestation online to report health status and stay home if you experience any COVID-19 symptoms. In a response to the increased demand in testing, the United States government has made at-home test kits available for free, which you can order at www.covidtests.gov to be shipped to your home.

Vaccine boosters are available at the NYMC Family Health Center at 19 Skyline Drive, (914) 828-0435 and throughout Westchester County and New York State. NYMC/TCDM provides paid time off for employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

For further information or questions, students may contact Health_Services@nymc.edu or (914) 594-4234.

Faculty, employees, volunteers and visiting scientists can contact the Office of Human Resources at nymc-contacthr@nymc.edu or (914) 594-2800.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping keep the campus community safe and we look forward to a happy, healthy 2022.

Sincerely yours,

Marisa A. Montecalvo, M.D.

Director of Health Services and Professor of Medicine, NYMC

Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A.

Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, NYMC

Provost for Biomedical Affairs, Touro College and University System