The Oregon State University TRACE team is headed to Eugene to conduct door-to-door COVID-19 testing. OSU has done similar testing in Corvallis, Bend, Hermiston, Newport and elswhere in Oregon to gauge how widespread the virus has spread in a community. (OSU)
EUGENE, Ore. - The Oregon State University TRACE team is headed to Eugene to conduct door-to-door COVID-19 testing with the help of the University of Oregon.
“We are very excited to collaborate with the University of Oregon and work together as public research universities to help our state and communities confront the COVID-19 challenge,” said TRACE project leader Ben Dalziel, an assistant professor in the OSU College of Science. “This collaboration demonstrates the combined strengths of both universities and their commitment to serve Oregonians, especially during this critical time.”
OSU has done similar testing in Corvallis, Bend, Hermiston, Newport and elswhere in Oregon to gauge how widespread the virus has spread in a community.
The TRACE team will collect samples in Eugene the weekend of Nov. 7 and 8.
"Over the two days, three-person crews will visit 30 neighborhoods in the city and invite as many as 600 Eugene residents to take place in nasal swab sampling for SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19," according to OSU. "Each crew will consist of an Oregon State student, a University of Oregon student and a health professional."
“We are very excited to collaborate with the University of Oregon and work together as public research universities to help our state and communities confront the COVID-19 challenge,” said TRACE project leader Ben Dalziel, an assistant professor in the OSU College of Science. “This collaboration demonstrates the combined strengths of both universities and their commitment to serve Oregonians, especially during this critical time.”
Eugene has a population of 172,000, nearly half of Lane County’s population of 382,000. Lane County has reported 27 COVID-19 fatalities and 2,454 cases – including 35 new ones on Wednesday.
The testing is free to residents. Participation is voluntary.
TRACE team members will not enter your home and make physical contact with you. Samples are collected by individual participants while the TRACE team waits outside.
Results will be sent to participants within 5 to 10 days.
Researchers from OSU and the University of Oregon will also be collecting wastewater from Eugene and Springfield to test for viral markers indicating the presence of COVID-19.
COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in Lane County, which was placed on Gov. Kate Brown's Watch List earlier this month.