SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — The State Department of Education (SCDE) and the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) have issued guidance to school districts after Governor McMaster’s recent announcement that South Carolina public schools will start testing students and staff for COVID-19.
Each participating school district will have to sign a DHEC and South Carolina Department of Education participation form if they want the test. After that, there are specific guidelines the school districts are required to follow:
- Apply for and receive the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waiver.
- Implement and communicate processes for supply procurement and inventory management to include appropriate PPE and disinfectants.
- Ensure proper infectious waste disposal processes are in place and compliant with state and federal regulations.
- Appoint appropriate points of contact, and the roles of responsibilities are assigned.
- Share guidance with schools on infectious control plans and procedures for schools for testing.
- Approve and ensure infectious control plans and ensure all are in place.
- Ensure operationally and communication plans and systems are compliant with regulatory and legal guidance.
- Establish and maintain data and documentation management systems that uphold CLIA, HIPAA, FERPA, and other state and federal regulations.
- Make efforts to provide support staff for COVID-19 testing and infection control efforts.
- Coordinate with SCDE for test kit pick-up from DHEC.
- Develop, communicate, and coordinate test kit allocation and distribution to schools.
- Coordinate any necessary test-related training of staff.
Once those requirements are met, a school district can allow rapid testing in schools or a designated testing location. Each school will need to get a signed consent form from a parent or guardian to test a student.
The test is a shallow nasal swab test that will be administered by a trained nurse or athletic trainer.
The testing kits are reserved for students and staff that show these symptoms:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Cough
- Loss of taste or smell
- Fever of at least 100.4 F
Students and staff can also be tested if they show two or more of these symptoms:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Sore Throat
- Congestion or rhinorrhea
- Myalgia
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
The rapid antigen test provides results in 15 minutes. If a test comes back positive, then the school is required to send the person home to complete isolation. If negative, they can return to class or work.
All results, both positive and negative, must be reported to DHEC within 24-hours.
The S.C. Department of Education says they don't yet have a list of school districts that have agreed to participate in the testing.
DHEC encourages sick individuals to see their doctor for an additional evaluation. The health agency says testing should not be considered the only aspect of controlling the virus's spread in schools.