A: SHIELD Illinois is a non-invasive, saliva-based COVID-19 test that has received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The process requires individuals to simply deposit saliva in a vial, which usually takes less than five minutes, and results will be provided directly to you within 48 hours. 

This service is provided free of charge to the CSU campus community, students, faculty, and staff who do not provide proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are required to get tested twice a week.

This testing is intended for those who do not feel sick. It is surveillance testing meant to allow CSU to quickly identify if cases may be starting to rise within the CSU campus community. If you feel sick, contact your primary care doctor to determine the best course of action.

A: For most current location & hours.

Testing instructions

Immediately before the test: Individuals should not eat, drink (including water), chew gum, smoke, or use tobacco products within 60 minutes before providing a saliva sample. Doing any of these things within 60 minutes of providing a sample could produce an inconclusive result and require the individual to re-test. 

Create your MySHIELD account

To be tested you must create a MySHIELD account, which should be done at the testing site through your mobile device. Staff will provide instructions and will be able to assist in account creation.

If you ned to create a new account, please show up to the testing site a few minutes early.

A: This service is provided free of charge to the CSU campus community. All non-vaccinated students and faculty/staff (CSU faculty/staff must receive an exemption from HR) are required to participate in surveillance testing twice a week starting Aug. 23, 2021

A: SHIELD testing is intended for those who do not feel sick. It is surveillance testing meant to allow CSU to quickly identify if cases may be starting to rise within the CSU campus community. If you feel sick, contact your primary care doctor to determine the best course of action.

A: To be tested you must create a MySHIELD account, which should be done at the testing site through your mobile device. Staff will provide instructions and will be able to assist in account creation. 

If you need to create a new account, please show up to the testing site a few minutes early.

Q: Call the Shield Help Desk at 217-265-6059 for assistance. Remember your SHIELD username and password, as you will need it to make appointments in the future. If this is NOT your first time using SHIELD Illinois testing at CSU, you will login with your SHIELD username and password to see your results and/or to make another appointment.

Schedule your test

Once you create your account, you can schedule your test. Again, this service will be available four times a week in the Library Cafe. Follow these instructions to schedule a testing appointment: 

Scheduling your COVID-19 test

• Once on your MySHIELD portal, select “Schedule an Appointment” from the menu
• Select Shield Chicago State University
• Select an appointment time slot
  1. Collection site hours of operation will differ from the schedule on your MySHIELD portal, but schedule within the hours listed above.
• Verify your personal information
• Schedule it!

A: The test is saliva-based, is non-invasive, and only takes a few minutes to do.

Individuals should not eat, drink (including water), chew gum, smoke, or consume tobacco products for one hour prior to the test.

This Molecular LDT COVID‐19 Test is designed for use in a single laboratory to detect the virus that causes COVID‐19 in respiratory specimens, such as saliva. The testing method uses a novel PCR method developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign.

A: The saliva test has a specificity of 99.8-99.9%, with very few false positives. Studies to date are consistent with this saliva test not being less accurate than a nasal test.

A: Yes. The saliva test developed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign detects the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, including new variants that have been identified to date.

A:
Negative: The virus was not detected.

Invalid: The sample was non-optimal and could not produce appropriate data during testing at the lab. (Invalid results typically occur when non-optimal saliva samples are submitted. Before your next test, please be sure to refrain from eating, drinking, tooth brushing, mouth washing, or tobacco use for at least 1 hour prior to submitting your saliva sample. For best results, it is recommended to hydrate during the morning and get tested in the afternoon.)

Positive: The virus was detected.

Inconclusive: The sample was able to be processed in the lab, but was not able to definitively provide a detected or not detected result.

A: People who have tested positive should not re-test for 90 days from the date of their positive test. If it has been longer than 90 days since a positive test, you should be tested.

A: If you have any general questions about the testing, please email shield@CSU.edu.

If you are having issues signing into the portal or creating an account, call SHIELD IL Help at 217-265-6059. This is a 24/7 service. They will not release results, but they can assist people with access and supply reactivation codes/unlock accounts for patients.

Remember, MySHIELDIllinois is NOT to be used for urgent needs. For medical emergencies, dial 911.