The School of Medicine offers testing for faculty, staff, students, residents and fellows, and family members of these groups.
As of Dec. 21, 2020, symptomatic individuals will also be tested for influenza.
Understand your test results »
For yourself
The following applies to individuals working or learning on campus or remotely.
- If you have COVID-19 symptoms, even mild ones, or if you have been exposed but are asymptomatic, you should get tested, regardless of whether you are vaccinated. Vaccinated individuals should be tested three to seven days after exposure; unvaccinated individuals should be tested five to seven days after exposure.
- Faculty, staff, residents and fellows: Call the COVID-19 Exposure/Illness Hotline, 314-362-5056, to be referred for free testing.
- Students: Call either the COVID-19 Exposure/Illness hotline, 314-362-5056, or Student Health, 314-362-3523, to be referred for free testing.
Learn more about the testing hotline »
- In the absence of symptoms or exposure, you can be tested with the WashU COVID-19 saliva test for personal reasons such as pre-travel or family visits.
For family members of employees and students
Family members of faculty, staff, residents, fellows or students may use the WashU COVID-19 saliva test for any testing purpose including:
- Symptomatic testing
- Exposure testing
- Asymptomatic testing for personal reasons such as pre-travel or family visits
For symptomatic children of health-care personnel
Two additional options:
- Request testing through your child’s primary care provider or pediatrician. This is the preferred method, because it will allow the test results to be sent directly to your child’s doctor. Make sure to mention that your child has a parent who is a health-care worker. Primary care providers who are part of Washington University or BJC HealthCare can place a request directly in Epic. For same-day testing, while placing the order, the primary care physician will be directed to call. All other pediatricians can initiate testing for your child at a BJC site via a form that is faxed. The form, available online on the BJC resources site, has been shared with affiliated/referring providers.
- If your child doesn’t have a primary care physician, or the pediatrician is not available, you can call the BJC COVID19 contact center at 314-714-6472 to initiate the process. This call line is staffed Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm, and Saturday, 8 am – noon. Make sure to mention that your child has a parent who is a health-care worker.
Note: The team that processes the orders works business hours on weekdays and until 1 pm Saturday and Sunday. Orders received after that time on the weekend will be processed the next day.
Tests noted to be for symptomatic children of health-care workers that are collected through BJC collection sites will be run at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital lab, and results can be expected 24–48 hours after being received in the lab. Results will be released into MyChart as soon as completed.
There are several available testing sites, and hours may vary between sites. When you are called to arrange for your test, you may select your preferred testing site. Most testing site hours are Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm, and Saturday/Sunday, 8 am – 12:30 pm.
Surveillance testing
The university is conducting surveillance testing on undergraduate students on the Danforth Campus. Surveillance testing is not being conducted on the Medical Campus.