Testing
Robust, frequent and preventive viral testing, along with public health measures to mitigate transmission, is critical to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the Cornell community and greater Ithaca area.
The protocol consists of screening students prior to and upon arrival to campus ("arrival testing") and ongoing, frequent screening of students who live on campus or in the Ithaca area, as well as faculty and staff who are reporting to campus ("surveillance testing"). These measures allow the university to quickly identify and isolate infected individuals and any possible close contacts. Participation is required by the Cornell Student Behavioral Compact and the employee expectations attestation in the Daily Check tool.
Cornell will offer optional supplemental COVID-19 testing to faculty and staff – beginning Nov. 4 for staff and faculty who are currently enrolled in surveillance testing and beginning Nov. 30 for all others. In many cases, international students who are departing the United States may be subject to testing requirements by airlines and the country of their destination. For detailed instructions on this process, visit the Daily Check help desk.
Feeling ill or experiencing COVID symptoms?
Testing for Cause
Immediate medical care
Cornell community members who develop symptoms of COVID-19, or are notified that they have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, should not report to a surveillance testing site.
Students: Call Cornell Health at 607-255-5155 for an immediate appointment. Employees: Seek testing at the Cayuga Health sampling site at the Ithaca Mall.
Frequently Asked Questions
What health and safety guidelines should students expect to follow during spring 2021?
In welcoming students back to campus for the spring semester, we anticipate that most rules and guidelines from this fall will remain in place. This includes wearing a face covering, maintaining physical distance, limiting in-person gatherings, and complying with all Daily Check health assessment and surveillance testing requirements. As in the fall, students will again be required to abide by the Cornell Student Behavioral Compact, which may be updated based on the experiences of the fall semester.
How do I access my test results?
Results are available within 24-48 hours and will be posted to the Cayuga Health patient portal.
If you have a Patient Portal Login:
- Go to mycayugahealth.cayugamed.org
- Sign in with your portal account
- Click on Health Record and then Results
If you do not have a Patient Portal Login:
- Go to mycayugahealth.cayugamed.org
- Click on the Sign Up link and fill in the enrollment information
- Receive an immediate email confirmation and create your login/password
- Click on Health Record and then Results
If you need assistance with your patient portal account, email mycayugahealthsupport@cayugamed.org or call 607-319-5708.
What is the Cornell Behavioral Compact?
In order to maintain a safe, educational and vibrant learning environment for all members of our community, all students in the Ithaca area this fall are required to abide by the Cornell Behavioral Compact, which includes a robust testing program. Additionally, the Behavioral Compact has three important components:
- A COVID-19 educational training course that you must complete that explains Cornell's public health approach to prevention and the emerging research and concepts underlying it.
- A brief quiz that you must pass.
- Your formal attestation of the Behavioral Compact once you have reviewed it in its entirety.
Students who reside in on-campus housing also will be subject to additional requirements under their housing contract.
What are the testing requirements for students traveling internationally after the end of in-person classes?
International students are responsible for reviewing and understanding the documentation requirements of their air carriers and of the country of their destination. In many cases, air carriers and nations require medical documentation of a negative COVID-19 test within a short period of time of a traveler’s departure. Cornell surveillance testing involves a PCR test and satisfies testing requirements for international travel. Depending on their departure date, students may need to arrange for a supplemental test outside their scheduled university surveillance test. Additionally, they’ll need to arrange for medical documentation through Cayuga Medical Center. For detailed instructions on this process, visit the Daily Check help desk.
I am an international student planning to arrive in the Ithaca area between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31. What is my arrival process?
Inform the university of your arrival date via the end-of-semester checklist. Students arriving from international destinations must quarantine for 14 days and complete a negative COVID-19 test before being permitted to access campus. The university will provide additional information on the day of your arrival.
The Tompkins County Health Department and Cornell Health offer quarantine guidance. Cornell Health also provides answers to frequently asked questions by students in quarantine or isolation.