No rollout plan yet for take-home COVID-19 tests in Windsor-Essex schools

Windsor, Ont. -

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is aware of a provincial plan to provide take-home COVID-19 test in schools, but has not yet created a local rollout plan.

Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Thursday take-home COVID-19 tests will be available at all public schools across the province starting in a few weeks.

Health unit CEO Nicole Dupuis said it’s too soon so comment on the operationalization given it came out late last week.

“We haven’t really reviewed that announcement in our context here in Windsor-Essex,” said Dupuis. “It does require some discussion and review with our school boards.”

The PCR tests have been available in schools in Toronto and Ottawa, and some other communities in a similar pilot project, but Lecce says now all students in public schools will have access, including Windsor-Essex.

If a student develops a COVID-19 symptom or is identified as a close contact of a positive case, they can pick up a test at their school, do it at home.

The government says it's aimed at alleviating some of the inconvenience in the testing process, eliminating the need for students and staff to book an appointment at an assessment centre to get tested.

Acting medical officer of health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said they like to keep every option open and there may be a role for testing in the correct circumstances. They continue to evaluate the situation.

“There are generally very limited circumstances were one would test a group of asymptomatic people. We don’t really know the context just yet of the testing guidance and testing recommendations,” he said.

He added they would only offer testing when they think that the risks versus the benefits supports the testing program.

Nesathurai said the real goal is not testing, but to keep schools open.

Over 350 class and bus cohorts have been dismissed in Windsor-Essex schools since September, which is more than all of last year. However, the number of outbreaks in schools has decreased from nine last Monday to two this Monday.

With files from The Canadian Press.