UC Riverside’s “homemade” COVID-19 testing lab has drawn widespread attention from Southern California media. 

The acknowledgment of the new lab’s success comes at a time when some universities across the nation have struggled to prevent campus outbreaks. The lab – created by UCR faculty – places the university in the elite company of universities including Yale that are providing their own testing facilities. 

“We’ve been operating at full speed,” Rodolfo Torres, vice chancellor for research and economic development, told The Press-Enterprise in an article published Monday. 

“We want to minimize the chance that there will be an outbreak.”

Torres, who was appointed to plan the lab with other campus leaders in April, was also interviewed by NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 about the success of the current program. 

Using saliva tests, the lab can process up to 400 test samples a day, with students getting their results back quickly— usually within one to two days. 

Of the 874 students who recently moved into UCR residence halls for the fall quarter, all are being tested twice weekly. Testing is expected to expand shortly to the 1,000 or so students living near campus in apartments.

Since the lab’s opening, five COVID-19 cases have been identified, allowing isolation measures to be enacted, as well as aggressive contact tracing. 

“We cannot guarantee a safe place for everyone,” Torres said. “But we can make it as safe as we can by taking precautions.”

Full articles/segments here:

UC Riverside unveils on-campus coronavirus testing lab- The Press-Enterprise

UC Riverside creates on-campus testing lab, tests students twice per week- NBC Los Angeles

Ofrecen pruebas de COVID-19 a estudiantes en la Universidad de California Riverside- Telemundo 52

UC Riverside's on-campus coronavirus testing lab processing 400 samples a day - CBS Los Angeles