November 5, 2021
Dear HCS Students, Parents/Guardians, and Employees:
I hope this letter finds you well. I know we were all hoping to have COVID behind us this school year, but that most certainly has not been the case. One of the many challenges everyone has been wrestling with is the DOH-mandated protocol for staying home when one has any COVID-related symptoms and then needing a negative COVID test or a note from the doctor for their return to school. Our district has been working to support students, families, and employees with this process so that individuals can return to school as quickly as possible and we have some good news on that front!
COVID testing for symptomatic students and employees is now available here at the school for those wishing to access this service. We’ve done a few test drives this week and the feedback to our nurses was extremely positive! The testing service will be provided by our school nurses, Mrs. Berkeley and Mrs. Adolf. They will use the Abbott BinaxNOW antigen test, a widely used, non-invasive rapid test. You will need to contact the nurses directly to schedule a test by calling Mrs. Berkeley at 693-8119 or Mrs. Adolf at 693-8118. It is critically important to make a plan before arriving to school in order to ensure that symptomatic people (students and employees) do NOT come into the school buildings and expose others before being tested and cleared for attendance. Also, be assured that testing will only be provided with consent of a student’s parent/guardian. The consent documents can be viewed here:
consent form. Please bring this completed consent form with you to the test or the nurses will have copies for you, if needed.
You might be wondering why we are instituting this service. As you may have experienced, the return to school/work process has been cumbersome, especially given the previous requirement that only a PCR test was allowable. The BCDOH is now supporting the use of rapid antigen tests to help get students and staff back to school quickly and safely. In many cases, individuals will be able to return to school several days sooner than they would if having to access another type of test in another location. Through working with our school’s medical director and our relationship with Lourdes, our district is a licensed testing site. The BinaxNOW antigen tests have been made available for our use, there is no cost, and this test is accepted for a student or staff member to return to in-person school. You can view information about the BinaxNOW test here:
https://youtu.be/baQQfoX-JXo . If you view the video, you’ll see that the nasal swab is non-invasive and occurs just inside the nostril. Additionally, it is important to know that the following criteria need to be met for this test to be viable:
- Symptoms are improving
- No fever in the past 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
The student/staff member never had any of the most compelling or serious symptoms of COVID-19, which would include the loss of taste or smell, pneumonia, illness requiring hospitalization, or symptoms while already under quarantine as an identified exposed person - The BINAX Now COVID-19 antigen test was not performed on the day of symptom onset
Please note that while PCR tests are still preferred, the allowance of antigen testing will allow students and staff to return to school much faster. Additionally, negative home tests will still not be accepted as proof of a negative test.
Again, the availability of tests at the school is simply an option for individuals that we hope is more convenient. If this test or our setup does not meet your needs, you are certainly welcome to access a different testing location. you have any questions about the test or the process, contact the school nurse. Please be reminded, you will need to contact the nurse to make an appointment for getting a test done. Thanks, and best wishes for your health and well-being.
Sincerely,
Mr. Michael J. Rullo
Superintendent of Schools