Rapid COVID tests given at Fayette public schools to kids, teachers with symptoms

Rapid COVID-19 tests, which produce results within 15 minutes, can now be given at Fayette schools to students and staff with common coronavirus symptoms, a district official announced at Monday’s school board meeting.

Last Friday, a rapid test caught a positive COVID case and the student was sent home, where they are now recovering, the district’s health coordinator Debbie Boian said.

Nurses have been trained to give the tests in school health offices. After spring break, staff other than nurses will be trained to give the tests, Boian said.

“We are doing this so we can get early detections of the COVID-19 infections. We can get it shut down quickly and shut down the spread so we can keep our schools open,” she said.

When students show common COVID symptoms, such as fever, headache, unusual cough, stuffiness, loss of taste or smell, they are asked to call home. A parent or the parent’s designee is asked to be present and sign a consent form for the test, Boian said.

The BinaxNOW rapid tests are available to students and staff in partnership with the Lexington-Fayette Health Department. The health department received a grant from the state for the tests.

Elsewhere in Kentucky, the Jefferson County Public Schools’ website said all JCPS schools will be provided with testing kits for students or staff who arrive at school with symptoms.

Nationally, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced earlier this month that it will be expanding access to COVID-19 rapid testing in K-12 public schools to protect students, teachers and staff.

A RAND Corporation research report released March 9 and funded by The Rockefeller Foundation showed that COVID-19 testing is effective at K–12 schools, helping families and staff feel more comfortable with in-person instruction.

Since Fayette began a gradual return to in-person learning on Feb. 22, at least 35 students and employees have had COVID cases and a few hundred Fayette students have been quarantined at home.

The following cases were reported Monday.

• Picadome Elementary: one student tested positive, resulting in quarantines for 13 students and 1 employee.
• Lafayette High School: three students tested positive, resulting in quarantines for 35 students.
• Tates Creek High: one student tested positive, resulting in quarantines for 8 students.

Students 16 years and older can sign up to get COVID vaccines in Lexington at the University of Kentucky vaccine clinic and students 18 years and older can go to Lexington-Fayette health department clinics, Boian said.

This story was originally published March 23, 2021 at 7:48 AM.