In this presentation, we will summarize the development of a SARS-CoV-2 testing strategy on a college campus of ~1000 students in rural Iowa.  The factors we considered included the timeline for results, ease of sample collection/compliance, false positive and false negative rates, cost, available personnel and facilities, and available supply of materials and equipment — all with the goal of reducing R0 below 1.  Thus, we researched the viability of on-campus PCR testing, various types of outsourcing, and several antigen tests available as of June 2020.

Cornell College selected the Sofia SARS Antigen Fluorescent Immunoassay, which provides results in 15 minutes. We also created a proactive strategy of asymptomatic testing of high-contact groups, cluster sampling by residence hall floor, and random sampling of faculty and staff. As of March 2021, surveillance testing, along with other safety measures, allowed Cornell to continue in-person learning with a cumulative positivity rate of 1.3% for students and 1.6% for faculty and staff. In addition, in January 2021, the college launched a new pooled saliva testing strategy for athletes. Cornell College administered a total of nearly 8,000 individual SARS-CoV-2 tests between August of 2020 and March 2021.