The East Greenbush Central School District is now required by the New York State Department of Health to test unvaccinated staff and to offer testing to unvaccinated students whose parents or guardians consent to this weekly testing. Regardless of vaccination status, the district has determined to make testing available to all students subject to parental consent.
We will be offering general COVID-19 testing at each of our schools to students in the near future to comply with this state requirement as well as expand point of care testing for students who are displaying COVID-19 symptoms.
Surveillance Testing
- General surveillance testing will be used to detect asymptomatic COVID-19 infections in students and unvaccinated staff using a rapid antigen test.
Point of Care Testing
- Point of care testing will be conducted using rapid molecular testing involving the same shallow swab as the rapid antigen test. This will provide a quick result in the case of a student or staff member who begins presenting symptoms while at school. Point of care testing is being implemented in accordance with NYSDOH regulations dated September 2, 2021 and will hopefully reduce the amount of time students are out of school.
Parents and guardians are asked to please indicate their consent for these free tests. You may consent to one, both or none. Please return the online form by Monday, October 25.
We anticipate that both surveillance and point of care testing will begin late October/early November. Members of our school staff along with Questar III BOCES nurses will oversee all testing, which involves gently swabbing the inner part of the lower nostril.
Regular testing will help protect everyone against COVID-19. Thank you for your continued flexibility, resilience and patience as we work together to contain the spread of this virus.
A consent form was emailed to parents/guardians on October 12, 2021. It is due back by October 25, 2021.