Pictured above: (Left to right) St. Petersburg Safety and Compliance Officer Guy VanAsten, Interim Vice Provost Deni Elliott and guide dog Koala, Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock and former campus governor Andrea Campos wait in line for a free COVID-19 test outside of the Student Life Center.
Annalise Anderson | The Crow’s Nest.
By Annalise Anderson
Only three days into the new semester, USF St. Petersburg students, faculty and staff waited in line to receive a free COVID-19 test outside of the Student Life Center on Wednesday.
St. Petersburg Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock, Interim Vice Provost Deni Elliott and former campus governor Andrea Campos joined the small, masked crowd to promote campus health and safety.
After attending summer commencement ceremonies all weekend long, Tadlock said he was getting tested as a precautionary measure.
“If you’ve been in any situation that might put you at risk of COVID-19, you should get tested,” Tadlock said.
Elliott, who has an underlying lung condition, said students should be mindful of how the virus may impact campus faculty and administrators.
“I am so excited to see all of these students on campus. But it also worries me because I see people congregating without masks,” Elliott said.
“There are people among us who are particularly susceptible. I have an underlying lung condition. And, even though I’m vaccinated, if I get sick, it’s likely to be really, really bad… So, I’m here getting tested just because the sooner I can catch it, the better for me.”
Campos wants to remind students that being safe and responsible is key to ensuring everyone enjoys life on campus this fall.
“Getting tested and getting vaccinated is about being a responsible member of our community and is incredibly important,” Campos said. “It just means that we get to come back, enjoy this amazing year and live the student life that we wanted to for so long. As long as we’re responsible and we keep sights on the bigger picture, which is being responsible and caring for others besides ourselves, I think we’re going to have a great year.”
St. Petersburg Safety and Compliance Officer Guy VanAsten asks all members of the USF community to take advantage of the health and safety resources on campus.
“We encourage everybody to get tested, even if you’ve been vaccinated,” VanAsten said. “If you’re positive, we have plenty of health officials behind the scenes to help us help you.”
Free COVID-19 testing is offered every Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. in front of the Student Life Center. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to register for an appointment online.
The Wellness Center offers the two-dose Pfizer vaccine and the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine every Tuesday. Both vaccines are free. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins will be accommodated.
