Western Michigan University is “urging” students to get a COVID-19 test before they go home for Thanksgiving. The school will add staff hours at its health center to accommodate requests in the days before the break.
Joe VanDerBos of WMU’s Sindecuse Health Center told WMUK that Western is prepared to meet extra demand for coronavirus tests Nov. 18 and 19.
VanDerBos said any student who needs a test will be able to get one. “I don’t think resources are a stop at all to this. I think there’s no real ceiling,” he said.
University spokeswoman Paula Davis says testing is highly recommended for students going home to their families.
“We’re strongly urging testing, and that’s why we created this special event to make it easier on the cusp of the holiday,” she said.
However, WMU has not made the tests mandatory.
“That’s not an approach that is recommended by the CDC, is not recommended by our local health department and so it’s not been Western’s approach,” Davis said.
After Thanksgiving break most classes at Western will meet online only.
