Free PCR Covid-19 Tests Available to CUNY Students and Faculty 

By Tonia-lee Haughton

While CUNY has lifted its mask mandate, students and faculty are still under obligation to take random Covid tests whenever they receive alerts through emails. When they receive these alerts, they must register through Cleared4. They are randomly selected using EMPLIDs through the Cleared4 database to ensure that the campus sustains a safe health environment for students and staff. This means that even though masks are no longer required, being on high alert for Covid-19 is still important. Luckily, these PCR Covid-19 tests are free to CUNY students and faculty. No appointment is needed.

York College members can take these free PCR tests at the trailer near the Milton G. Bassin Performing Arts Center, located at 94-45 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard. It’s across from the main Academic Core building. The testing site is open Monday to Friday at variable times. It’s 9:00am – 12:00pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, then 2:00pm – 5:00pm on Tuesdays, and 4:00pm – 7:00pm on Fridays. The process usually takes less than five minutes, involving simple swabs of the nostrils with cotton swabs. Students usually receive positive/negative test results within 48 hours through email. Another thing to remember is that even though the mask mandate has been dropped, students and faculty must continue uploading their proofs of vaccinations and boosters to CUNYfirst to ensure that CUNY college campuses are free of Covid-19 and other variants.

Faculty must be fully vaccinated and upload their proof of such between April 1 to May 27, 2022. On the other hand, students must have submitted theirs by March 1, 2022. These regulations ensure that students and faculty can safely be at school in person.