Students receive take-home COVID-19 test kits

Limestone Learning Foundation
Students receive take-home COVID-19 test kits
Posted on 12/14/2021
Image of rapid antigen test kits

The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health are providing school boards in Ontario with take-home COVID-19 tests to provide students and families with greater access in a timely manner. There are two take-home testing options with different purposes:

Rapid Antigen Test: All students will receive Rapid Antigen Test kits for use during the December break. The rapid tests will be sent home with any student attending in-person learning, regardless of their vaccination status. Tests will also be available to students who are learning remotely in LDSB Virtual Schools. The use of rapid tests is voluntary. Students are not required to participate to return to school in January. A student that receives a positive result on a rapid test should seek a confirmatory PCR test as soon as possible (ideally within 48 hours) at a local testing site or pharmacy that offers testing and isolate themselves until the result of that confirmatory PCR test are known.

PCR Self-Collection Test: The PCR self-collection testing option is intended for students who are symptomatic at school, or students and staff who identified as being part of an asymptomatic close contact cohort (e.g., a class that has been exposed to COVID-19 because one member of the class has tested positive). Public Health will assist the board in determining when the testing kits should be distributed.  The use of PCR self-collection test is voluntary. Students (families) and staff may continue to seek testing through local assessment centre testing sites.

Instructions on how to use each test will be provided to students (families) upon distribution. Each kit will include a letter to families and each kit contains specific instructions from the manufacturer. If families have any questions about either testing process, they may contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. If students (families) continue to experience issues with testing, and they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, they are encouraged to book a testing appointment with a local assessment centre. 

The Limestone District School Board is situated on traditional territories of the Anishinaabe & Haudenosaunee.