ISU to implement COVID-19 testing developed by U of I

NORMAL, Ill. (WAND) - Illinois State University is planning to adopt a type of COVID-19 testing developed by the University of Illinois. 

I-COVID has been called "potentially game-changing" by Gov. JB Pritzker. In the I-COVID test, a person is able to avoid using an invasive nasal swab and instead drools a small amount into a sterile test tube. Results then come hours after the test is taken. 

At the U of I, over 50,000 people have been tested since the school started walk-up testing of faculty, staff and students in July. During the fall 2020 semester, it hopes to test 20,000 people per day. 

According to NBC affiliate WEEK and its news partner WJBC, I-COVID will be used on the ISU campus in six to eight weeks. 

ISU President Larry Dietz told WJBC the time frame comes from having to go through protocols with labs, hire staff and set up equipment. The U of I also has to be ready to roll out the tests. 

ISU COVID-19 statistics from Aug. 31, 2020 showed a total of 972 positive test results, with 699 positive tests recorded in the last seven days. The school had a total of 3,433 negative tests at that time. 

As of Monday, ISU's rolling seven-day positive rate was 24 percent.