New Drive-Through State Testing Site on Campus Will Provide Dedicated UTEP Line

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 

Miners,

Beginning today, UTEP and the City of El Paso are working together to offer a free drive-through state COVID-19 testing site on the UTEP campus.

Anyone 5 years or older with or without symptoms can receive a free coronavirus test at the new state site located in the Schuster 1 parking lot off Schuster Avenue at the Spur 1966 roundabout, on the south side of campus. Here’s a map to the testing site. 

The test will be a nasal swab. Results will be emailed to you within 3-5 days. Participants who do not have an email address will receive a phone call.

Hours

Free testing will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. No appointments are necessary; however, once the daily capacity is reached the site will be closed for the day to additional testing.

Special Line for UTEP Miners

Anyone can use this site; it’s open to the public. But we have negotiated with the city for the site to have a separate UTEP line at the new drive-through site. This section will only be open to UTEP students, employees and their family members in the same vehicle.

You will be required to show your UTEP Miner Gold Card to access the UTEP line. If you do not have your ID, you will be asked to join the line for the general public.

The special UTEP line will be available this Thursday and Friday, Oct. 22 and 23, through a separate entrance off of Prospect Street. Beginning next week, it will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the Schuster 2 parking lot between Prospect Street and Lawton Drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until the daily testing capacity is reached. Find the map here.

Why are we doing this?

This new option will be convenient for students who are taking classes 100% online, faculty and staff who are working remotely, and anyone with COVID-19 symptoms. You can also take your family members to the UTEP drive-through line, which might be faster than the general public line.

Our walk-up sites run by the University will continue through UTEP’s Coronavirus Proactive Testing Program. The walk-up sites run by the University are intended for students, staff and faculty  who have to be on campus for in-person or hybrid courses or work and who do not have symptoms.

In the last few weeks, the number of people taking advantage of the UTEP testing sites has increased significantly. Last week, approximately three-quarters of those who tested positive through the UTEP program had not been on campus for at least two weeks prior to the test – mostly students who are taking 100% online classes.

We really need your help to keep these on-campus walk-up testing sites accessible to those who must be on campus.

Bottom Line

Help us out. 

Use the new state drive-through for you and your family if you have symptoms or if you are working or studying 100% online. Three days a week there will be a priority line for people in a car with a UTEP Miner Gold Card, so the line should be faster. It’s free and no appointment is needed.

Use the walk-up sites on campus if you have classes or work on campus. We know our testing team has gotten pretty good at this and it is fast and convenient. But we really have to use our limited on-campus research testing capacity to find people quickly who may be sick and not know it so that we can suppress the disease for people who have to be on campus.

We think this answer – working with the city to add a special UTEP Miner and family drive-through – will help everyone.

Warm regards,

P.S. Of course, don’t forget the basics. Stay home if you are sick. Wear a mask. Stay six feet apart. Wash your hands frequently.