Health Code and Testing Data

This dashboard is updated at 4 p.m. ET once per day based on the data received by the Broad Institute at that time. In some cases, previous day’s data will be updated based on when data from the Broad are received. The dashboard data reflect the Broad Institute’s updated detection protocol. 

Colby’s testing data reflects two key aspects of our robust testing program: the number of tests the College conducts and the frequency of those tests. Since Colby tests the entire community of approximately 3,000 faculty, staff, and students two times a week, it is expected that there will be more positive test results than there would be if the College’s testing program were less intensive.

The number of positive and negative cases may not add to the total case number due to inconclusive test results or positive cases being tested multiple times. 

An inconclusive test result indicates the test sample was not able to be properly performed. An inconclusive test result does not indicate a test is presumptive positive, positive, or negative. Individuals who receive an inconclusive test result are retested within 24 hours of receiving the result. The inconclusive result was produced for one or many of the reasons below.

• The specimen failed to produce a valid result as no nucleic acids (viral or human) were detected by qRT-PCR.
• The test could not be performed due to laboratory error.
• The sample was unsuitable for automated processing. The first step in processing is to add media to the swab. After adding media, some samples are too viscous to process. This most often happens when the patient does not blow their nose before collecting the sample, resulting in excessive mucus.
• The swab collection was not to submission standards. This may have occurred because the swab was upside down in the tube, there were multiple swabs in the tube, or there was no swab in the tube.