Rapid tests ready to be handed out during return to school

Students and staff will return to the classroom Monday morning.

One of the measures announced by the province as part of the return to in-person learning, was the distribution of rapid antigen tests. 

Two tests will be given to students and staff to use if they develop COVID-19 symptoms. The tests will be in addition to other health measures, such as the continued completion of a screening questionnaire.

The Director of Education for the St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB) Scott Johnson said they recently received 12,500 rapid antigen tests. Meanwhile, the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) received just over 36,000 tests last week, which is enough for about 18,000 students and staff.

"It does meet the demand for the criteria that the Ministry of Education has released for this first batch, which is all staff, elementary students, and as many secondary students as can be covered with the remaining tests," said LKDSB Director of Education John Howitt. "We will be short as we have about 22,000 students and about 3,500 staff."

However, Howitt said additional tests are expected to be delivered as early as this week and next week.

Thank you to the team of 25 @LKDSB staff in on Saturday packaging 36,000 Rapid Antigen Tests into pairs for distribution to schools on Monday! pic.twitter.com/pWzkZD4npd

— John Howitt (@johnhowi) January 15, 2022

He also said the distribution of rapid antigen tests will be similar to the process that took place ahead of the holidays.

Howitt said there were "a handful" of families who were not interested in accepting tests in December 2021. In order to ensure no tests go to waste, the LKDSB is working on an opt-out process.

"There are some families who chose not to take advantage [last time] and we don't want to be wasteful," he said. "We will [reach] out to the families to notify us if they want to opt-out of receiving rapid antigen tests from the board and that way we can redistribute them to others who are more interested."

Johnson also said families within the SCCDSB community will be given an opt-out option as well.

Howitt said he has seen media reports of tests being sold online in other areas, but the school board has not been notified of this happening locally.