A new support line, Healthway Help, provides answers to students’ questions about such things as daily health surveys and required testing. Photo by Janice Checchio

Wellness

New BU Healthway Help Line Answers Students’ Questions about Coronavirus Testing

What does my badge color mean, why can’t I schedule a test, and the other most frequently asked questions.

BU students, do you have a question? Just about any campus-related question about COVID-19? There’s a help desk for you now.

For students with questions about the University’s COVID-19 protocols, services, and requirements, many answers are just an email away. Healthway Help (healthwayhelp@bu.edu) is a support line dedicated solely to students’ questions and concerns, particularly things like daily health surveys and required testing. (A separate COVID-19 help line for faculty and staff is reachable at covidhelp@bu.edu.)

The email help desk is equipped to answer most questions from students who are asymptomatic or who have not had a positive test result. Students who are symptomatic, have tested positive, or need to speak with a contact tracer should contact the Healthway medical team at 617-353-0550.

The Healthway Help line is staffed primarily by the Information Services & Technology (IS&T) service desk, with support from many related administrative offices. 

Tracy Schroeder, vice president of information services and technology, says Healthway Help staff received roughly 150 questions even before the help line launched on August 15.

BU Today asked the Healthway Help staff this question: “What are the 11 questions that are asked most often?” Their answers are below.

1. How often do I have to get tested?

Testing frequencies are determined by the four Testing Categories to which students, faculty, and staff have been assigned; view the Testing Frequency Chart below.

View the Testing Frequency Chart

2. Why can’t I schedule a test?

The answer could be one of several things. In order to schedule a test you must be enrolled in a class for the fall semester. In addition, your Learn from Anywhere (LfA) status (in the Student Link) must indicate that you’re in the Boston area and attending classes in person. You’re only able to schedule tests up to seven days in advance, and at some points we have had to shorten the window to four days. If you’re living on campus, your first prompt to schedule a test is based on your move-in date in the Housing Portal.

3. What if all the testing slots are full? 

If testing slots are full at one testing location, try another one of the four sites on campus. Some testing sites fill up more quickly than others, so you may need to try looking for times at another location.

4. How many tests can I schedule and how far in advance? 

You can schedule up to two tests and generally up to seven days in advance. We are working to maintain the seven-day window but at some times it may be shortened to four days.

5. What does my badge color mean?

Green/Cleared—you have no symptoms and are cleared to go to campus

Yellow/Overdue—you have not filled out your daily survey or your lab test is overdue

Orange/Quarantine—you have reported possible COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to a positive; a Healthway healthcare provider will contact you

Red/Isolation—you have tested positive for COVID-19; a Healthway healthcare provider will contact you

Blue/NA—you are remote and do not need to complete the daily survey or COVID-19 testing

Healthway Help staff also receive many questions about testing frequency and the requirements for students as they arrive on campus. Answers to most of those questions can be found in the Testing Frequency Chart and the arrival flow chart.

6. Why am I not being prompted to complete the daily symptom screening survey?

If you are not being prompted, log in to the Student Link and check your LfA status. You may have forgotten to change your status back to “on campus.” Please note that when you change your status in the Student Link, Student Patient Connect will not update until the next day.

7. What do I need to bring when I go to get tested?

You’ll need to bring a photo ID with you (preferably your BUID, but any ID will work) and your phone, so you can log in to Patient Connect and show your badge & QR code.

8. I’m going away for a few days; do I need to update my LfA status?

Yes, if you’re leaving the area you should update your LfA status. If you don’t complete your daily survey and regular testing, you will be out of compliance.

9. Where do I update my LfA status?

Your LfA status can be updated in the StudentLink under the personal tab. Note that when you change your LfA status in the Student Link, it won’t be updated in Healthway/Patient Connect until the next day. If you are away and log in to set your status that you will be back on campus, you won’t be able to log in and schedule a test until the next day.

10. I made a mistake on my daily survey, and it now says I should be in quarantine. How do I fix that?

If the system tells you to quarantine (orange badge), it kicks off a process by which a healthcare professional from Healthway will call to discuss your symptoms. You can also call 617-353-0550 and follow the prompts for symptoms. Staff there will ask you screening questions and should be able to clear your status.

11. How will contact tracing work?

A contact tracer interviews the person who has tested positive, finds out where that person spent every minute during the possibly contagious period, and compiles a list of people the positive person had close contact with during that time, defined as longer than 15 minutes, closer than six feet, face covering or not. Based on that, the contact tracer creates a list of that positive person’s “close contacts.” The contact tracer will then contact (typically by phone) every BU-affiliated person deemed to be a close contact to instruct them to get tested and to quarantine for 14 days.