What College Students Should Expect Taking the Coronavirus Test

On September 23, 168 new cases were reported, which brings the total of coronavirus cases up to over 11,000 statewide, according to Hawaii News Now. On July 28, Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced in a press conference that Oahu would enter yet another shutdown for two weeks to alleviate the spread of Covid-19.

Since then, all schools around the state have remained virtual until further notice. While it still remains unclear as to when schools will be able to open face-to-face learning, the public still has many about how the United States has handled this pandemic. Now, in the United States, the majority of coronavirus cases are between ages 18 through 29 years old, the CDC announced on Aug. 18.

A vast majority of college students across the country have been subjected to remain online for the remainder of their semesters. Due to some college campuses have reported hundreds of positive cases because of massive social gatherings being hosted off-campus.

Steven Miyata, a Honolulu native, tested for Covid-19 back in early August because he recently played a round of golf at Mid-Pacific Country Club while an employee tested positive for the virus. The 21-year-old later mentioned that his results were negative for Covid-19 in later August. Miyata is a student at the University of Arizona and will be finished with his degree in business this Spring.

“Taking the tests was actually pretty complicating because people would be holding up others trying to taking the test,” Miyata said. “I would advise students or anyone taking the tests to go in advance and expect a delay in your day if you do plan to take the test. Some of the helpers at the camps were nursing students from around Oahu and some didn’t know how to explain to the patients in line what to do.”

Miyata explained that the majority of the people there were frightened to take the test. Some would step out of line and leave because they were scared. He advises people to go in advance if you do plan to do more things after you take the test.

Ethan Hollandsworth, a Honolulu native, tested for Covid-19  on August 10 because one of his coworker at Kahala Assaggio’s tested positive for the coronavirus. The 23-year-old has tested negative, after getting his results back on August 14^th. Since then, both restaurants have been disinfected and are open to serve customers. He is a student at Kapiolan’i Community College, and is undecided on his major.

“After getting my results back a couple days ago, I felt relieved that my results were negative,” said Holladsworth, who is also a student at Kapiolan’i Community College.“And that I wouldn’t be spreading the virus unknowingly to someone else to my family nor at work. The test wasn’t too bad. It was actually quicker than I expected it too be, but if people around my age don’t want to take the test, I suggest them to follow what the experts are saying at the CDC to follow.”

Hollandsworth is currently working at the same location after all workers were designated to take a 14-day quarantine once the outbreak was announced. However, he recommends that all should listen and follow to what the CDC advises in regards to the virus.

Both of them advise people that are testing on the island of Oahu to go in advance before you go on about the rest of your day. As there is about a couple hundred people testing for the virus each day. They also mentioned that after you take the test, you should quarantine yourself for about 14 days after taking the tests to make sure that you don’t spread the virus elsewhere if the results come back positive.

Some places you can go to test for Covid-19 are private appointments with your local hospital, or go through free drive-in sites that are posted on TrueNorth.com, and register yourself for a chance to receive free Covid-19 test.