Campus and Boston COVID Resources
For information and resources on masking, see the Masks tab.
Testing:
Last updated: February 28, 2023.
Rapid Tests:
Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) are available at no cost to undergraduate students upon request at Curry Student Center Crossroads (front desk near the bookstore). Up to four tests per student are available weekly. Some proctors may ask if you are symptomatic before giving you four tests and may only give you one if you state you are not symptomatic.
PCR Tests:
As of May 2022, free PCR testing is no longer available on Northeastern’s campus.
People with health insurance can access free PCR testing from pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens. Please note, access to free PCR testing through most health insurances may be removed with the end of the Public Health Emergency declaration on May 11th, 2023.
To schedule a PCR test at CVS, click here.
To schedule a PCR test at Walgreens, click here.
Students without health insurance can still access free PCR testing at a select few locations around Boston. Currently, the closest free PCR testing center to campus is CIC Health Roxbury at 2302 Washington Street, open for walk-in testing Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12-8 PM. No appointment is necessary, but filling out your information at this link will make the process faster.
Rapid Testing vs. PCR: When to use which option? Basic rundown here.
PCR tests are much more accurate and its best practice to use a PCR to determine whether you are COVID positive after a known or suspected exposure.
Rapid tests are less accurate and are more likely to display a false negative, especially within the first few days of exposure and with asymptomatic infections, making it best practice to use them to “test out” of isolation after you become sick, rather than determining whether you are positive.
However, we acknowledge that access to PCR testing can be severely limited. To be more sure of rapid tests’ accuracy, wait until 5-6 days after initial exposure and test twice, 24 hours apart. A combined nose and throat swab may also help with accuracy, as the virus can accumulate in the throat before the nasal passages.
Vaccines
Last updated: February 28, 2023.
Vaccination offers significant protection from severe illness and death from COVID. Get your bivalent booster if you haven’t already. Vaccination should remain cost-free until the end of the Public Health Emergency declaration on May 11th, 2023.
To schedule a COVID vaccine at CVS, click here.
To schedule a COVID vaccine at Walgreens, click here.
While vaccination does curb severe short-term outcomes, being fully vaccinated does not stop you from getting or spreading COVID, nor does it prevent Long COVID, though it slightly decreases your risk of long-term symptoms. Immunity from vaccination also wanes over time, so it’s important to stay up to date with boosters. It’s vital to include vaccination as one of many layers of protection, as not all of our community members can get vaccinated or are guaranteed mild outcomes even post-vaccination.
Isolation
Last updated: February 28, 2023.
As of Spring 2022, Northeastern no longer offers Wellness Housing for students who test positive. This means that roommates of those who become infected are automatically considered close contacts and are often forced to continue rooming with the infected roommate. This makes isolation difficult or impossible for many at Northeastern.
For a comprehensive isolation guide and more on what to do if you test positive, see JustGotCOVID.org.
Ways to adapt these isolation protocols to dorm living may include:
- Rearranging sleeping conditions so that the infected roommate has a room to themselves
- All roommates wearing high-filtration masks like KF94s, KN95s, or N95s until the infected roommate exits isolation/tests negative
- Running an air purifier in the infected person’s space as well as opening windows slightly if weather allows
- Asking a friend or roommate to pick up food from the dining hall or community fridge
Although hybrid access to class is no longer guaranteed by the university, the virtual access infrastructure still exists. We encourage those who test positive to immediately notify their professors and request Zoom access to class for at least 10 days or until they begin testing negative.
If you test positive and must leave isolation at any point when you are still infectious, we implore you to wear the highest-quality mask you can access and, if applicable, inform those around you of your status so that they can make educated choices about their health.
The following fact sheet regarding the COVID-19 vaccine has been provided by the Massachusetts government:
Please note that NUMutualAid is not affiliated with any of the resources mentioned on this page and not an official source of COVID-19 information.
Northeastern Mutual Aid 