Spring break isn't halting voluntary asymptomatic COVID-19 testing for students and education workers in the London-area.
Thames Valley Family Health Team, which operates the region's two assessment centres, will offer testing to children and school workers who aren't experiencing COVID-19 symptoms starting on Monday. The offer to provide the voluntary testing comes as testing within schools is put on hold for the week because of the spring break. It will continue until kids go back to class next Monday.
In addition to asymptomatic students in kindergarten to Grade 12 and education workers, children attending daycare and childcare workers can also get tested at the assessment centres.
Appointments for testing can be booked at either the Carling Assessment Centre or Oakridge Assessment Centre online at www.covidtestinglm.ca. Students and school staff looking to get the test are advised to select “employer student placement testing” and "self referral" on the booking form.
While online booking is preferred, appointments can also be made by phone at 519-685-8500, ext. 75503 for Carling and 519-667-6886 for Oakridge. Phone lines open at 9 a.m. daily Monday to Friday.
In-pharmacy testing is also being extended to asymptomatic students this week only, according to the Thames Valley District school board (TVDSB). A list of participating pharmacies can be found by clicking here.
Voluntary asymptomatic COVID-19 testing at schools in the London region began in mid-March after the provincial government mandated school boards across Ontario to swab two per cent of students and staff without symptoms weekly.
Consent from parents or guardians is required before a student can receive the test.
"We will continue to work with the Ministry of Education and its testing partners to offer voluntary asymptomatic targeted testing for staff and students through a variety of testing approaches to support the safe return to in-person learning after the break," the TVDSB said in a statement.
Nearly a dozen more local schools reported positive cases of COVID-19 over the weekend. The Thames Valley District school board confirmed cases at eight elementary schools and three secondary schools over the two-day period. All had just a single infection identified, except for Oliver Stephens Public which had two. In total there are 40 active cases at 29 schools within the Thames Valley District and 12 active cases at nine schools within the London District Catholic school board.