In the early weeks of the fall semester, Jesse Suter, UVM’s Executive Director of the Center on Disability & Community Inclusion, received an urgent plea: UVM students need more COVID-19 testing. 

The call came from the Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL), a dedicated organization championing equity for individuals with disabilities. According to Suter, a number of UVM students with disabilities reached out to VCIL, frustrated by the scarcity of antigen test kits that can reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

The UVM Disabled Student Union, a student-run, student-focused disability union and community space has been vocal about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on those with disabilities. The group, according to Suter, has openly supported masking, testing, and options for remote learning and meeting on UVM’s campus. “Some people with disabilities have chronic health conditions that put them at higher risk for getting infected or experiencing a more severe illness,” explains Suter. “Rapid antigen tests provide quick information that people with and without disabilities can use to decide whether to quarantine and seek treatment.”

Yet in May 2023, when the federal public health emergency ended, access to free test kits became more difficult and, at times, nearly impossible. Having heard from students and the VCIL about testing concerns, the team at the Center on Disability and Community Inclusion (CDCI), put their heads together to find a solution.

The CDCI is one of 67 federally chosen research centers across the country whose mission is to improve the lives of people with disabilities through teaching, research, community service, and resource sharing. Funding for these centers is provided by the Administration on Community Living (ACL), and these research centers often benefit from a network of resources and opportunities. In collaboration with the US Health and Human Services Administration, through this network UVM’s CDCI was offered free over-the-counter COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits. From there, Suter explains, his team worked with UVM Student Health Services to determine how many were needed on campus and placed the order.

Once the shipments arrived on campus, the Student Health Services team worked with Davis Center staff to identify high-traffic areas and collaborated with a variety of teams to spread the word. Students can pick up a free test kit each week from Davis Center information desks, as well as at Living Well on the first floor of the Davis Center, and at Student Health Services on Pearl Street.

“Symptoms of COVID overlap with many conditions—the flu, other acute respiratory viral illnesses (colds), seasonal and environmental allergies—but none of these has an isolation requirement,” explains Michelle Paavola, Medical Director for Student Health Services. “Knowing you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 allows individuals to stay out of public for 5 days and slow the spread of the virus.  Having people with COVID isolate ultimately decreases exposure to the virus for many people, including those who are more vulnerable like those with people with disabilities.”

The heartwarming collaboration between these various teams serves as a testament to their unwavering commitment to creating a healthier and more inclusive UVM community. “I am so grateful for the vocal and heartfelt leadership of our disability advocacy community,” shares Suter. “When students with disabilities brought up this gap in needed resources, we were able to join together with other disability groups to ensure UVM will be a healthier and more inclusive place this year.”