Stanford University announced Wednesday the institution will require weekly COVID-19 testing regardless of vaccination status beginning Aug. 15 as cases continue to rise.
According to The Stanford Daily, the university may be the first one in the country to enforce such mandate.
In a statement, Student Affairs officials said testing will be required for everyone, including all students living on campus, university provided off-campus housing or coming to campus. A "highly-sensitive self test" will be provided and results will be given within 24 hours.
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In addition, all Stanford students, employees, and visitors are required to wear face coverings indoors including elevators. The only exception applied when alone in a private office, student room, or actively eating or drinking.
Students said they're not shocked by the new requirement.
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"I'm not really all that surprised because they allowed us to get COVID tests weekly anyway," said PhD student Linus Hein. "Most of the students I know were taking the weekly tests regardless of whether they were vaccinated or not," she said. "Most people knew the breakthrough cases were a thing, so it kind of made sense for your own security to take those tests because they were free anyway."
Other students wonder if they will be living with or next door to someone who is unvaccinated.
The university said they can't disclose that information, which includes people who have medical or religious exemptions, but expects only a small number of unvaccinated students living on campus when classes begin Sept. 1.
