Volunteers collect saliva samples from university students.
Faculty members from Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy have begun a two-stage program for testing the presence of SARS-Co-2 (COVID-19). Professor and Chair, Robbie Kidd, BONA FIDES; Associate Professor, Gregory Sawyer, BONA FIDES and Associate Dean of ICPH Fairfax, Chair of Dept. of Pharmacogenomics and Professor, Arthur Harralson, BONA FIDES collaborated to create a simple, effective surveillance testing program to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in our campus community. The SU Surveillance Testing Program uses pooled samples from up to five individuals, which is a cost saving measure. PCR testing can identify samples that contain presumptive positives to SARS-CoV-2. Individuals are then referred for diagnostic testing at a CLIA-certified laboratory. Due to the pandemic, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released guidance that allow non-CLIA certified laboratories, such as university laboratories, to conduct surveillance testing and refer presumptive positive individuals for diagnostic testing at a CLIA-certified laboratory for further testing.
Shenandoah faculty, staff, and students are chosen randomly for testing and told to report to specific places at specific times to provide a small saliva sample. The entire process is contactless, takes fewer than five minutes to complete and is free of charge. Those scheduled for testing are notified the week before about assigned testing time and location. Results are normally returned within 24-48 hours. The SOP currently has the capacity to test up to 320 people per week and is working to increase testing capacity to over 800 per week.
Dr. Greg Sawyer, left, and Dr. Robbie Kidd processing pooled saliva samples and analyzing the PCR testing data results for presumptive positives.
P4 Josh MIller encourages students to participate in the COVID-19 Saliva Pooled Sample study on Shenandoah University’s main campus.
Marilee Clemons ’16, PharmD 
Jamal Alykhan ’16, PharmD, MBA
Preston Estep ’12, PharmD
Estela Lajthia ’15, PharmD
Kevin Morgan ’01, PharmD
Nimita Varga ’04, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, CDP