LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky is now testing random students on campus for COVID-19 as an extra precaution.


What You Need To Know

  • UK to test students at random for COVID-19

  • 400 students to be retested

  • University also to begin testing wastewater from residence halls

Around 400 students at the university will receive an email telling them they have been selected at random to retake their COVID-19 test. The students will have from Sunday through Wednesday to retake their test, with any of the on-campus testing sites at their disposal.

“The feasibility of random sample testing is yet another best practice step to be taken. That's something our star team of medical professionals and health professionals had already been thinking about, talking about and wrestling with how the best way to do this,” UK's Spokesperson Jay Blanton said. 

Along with random testing, the university will also start testing the wastewater in different residence halls to detect early signs of the virus on campus. Blanton says the university is working with its teams to make sure it's staying ahead of the virus the best it can, but of course, no plan is going to be perfect. 

“We’re trying hard to stay ahead of this. It’s a tough battle but it’s one you fight every single day. So we're cautiously optimistic about where things are going. Nothing is perfect, we’re going to make some mistakes along the way and there’s going to be bumps in the road for sure. We believe that we developed a comprehensive approach to this effort way back in the summer,” Blanton said.

For more information about UK's COVID-19 plan, more information is in its COVID-19 Playbook.