Note: With COVID-19 vaccination now approved and widely available for children under 5, and decreased usage of this testing option, this testing option was concluded on Thursday, August 11, 2022.
Dear Colleagues,
As you know, one of our greatest points of pride in our COVID-19 pandemic response is what we have been able to accomplish with our PCR testing capability here at Georgetown. Through a partnership with One Medical to offer tests, along with Georgetown University Medical Center’s COVID-19 testing facility in Maryland that processes these tests, we have been able to provide free PCR testing, with efficient turnaround times, to all members of our community since July 2020.
We write today to share that, beginning Monday, January 31, we will open our PCR testing to children under the age of 5 of full-time, benefits eligible employees, in recognition of the unique challenges posed by the pandemic for our employees with children in this age group. While we very much wish we could accommodate testing of all family members of our community members, we do not have the capacity to accomplish that in a sustainable manner. Children under 5 currently have no option for vaccination. Additionally, antigen/rapid tests may be challenging for parents or guardians to access and administer to this age group without the support of a healthcare professional. Testing is an important tool in managing dependent care responsibilities during this time, and we hope that this offering will assist and support our employees with very young children.
More information on this new support service for parents and guardians of children under the age of 5, including directions for how to set your child up to get tested, can be found on the COVID-19 Testing for Children of Employees page.
We hope that this new offering will be another element of support for parents and guardians of young children at this very challenging time.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Groves
Provost
Edward B. Healton
Executive Vice President for Health Sciences
William M. Treanor
Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center
David Green
Interim Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer