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School districts receive new guidance on COVID-19 tests

The rapid COVID-19 testing will be for in-person students and staff that exhibit symptoms of the virus.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The State Department of Education (SCDE) and the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) have issued guidance to school districts that explains how the rapid COVID-19 test works and who should be tested in schools.

The new guidance comes after Governor McMaster’s recent announcement that South Carolina public schools will start testing students and staff for COVID-19, but didn't share much detail.

RELATED: Details still being worked out for COVID-19 school testing plan

According to the 117-page guidance, the rapid antigen testing is performed with a nose swab, but it doesn’t go as far up as the PCR test. It provides results in as fast as 15 minutes, but isn’t as sensitive as the PCR test, which means, “it may be less likely to detect the virus when it is actually present,” the guidance says.

It also says rapid testing is most effective in identifying the virus when people start to show symptoms. This is the same testing nursing homes are currently using.

The State Department of Education told News 19 they’ll be directly involved with the distribution and monitoring of the test kits. In their overview sent to school districts, they say a parent must give consent before a school can administer a test to a student.

Spokesperson Ryan Brown said, “the SCDE has not received from the Governor’s Office the Executive Order nor the parent consent form that the Governor referenced in the press conference." Brown said once they receive that information, they'll provide it to school districts so that they can begin school based COVID-19 testing if they choose to do so.

DHEC told News 19 that it’s up to school districts on whether they want to participate or not. “It’s up to each district as to whether they will let individual schools opt out. A school nurse (RN or LPN) or athletic trainer who has been trained to administer and supervise the rapid test will perform the test,” they wrote in a statement. 

RELATED: COVID-19 testing rush continues ahead of Thanksgiving holiday

DHEC will distribute testing supplies on a monthly basis to school districts.

According to the overview sent to districts, rapid testing will be reserved for students and staff that attend in-person learning and are showing COVID-19 symptoms like a cough or fever. It also says approximately 1.5 million rapid antigen tests have been federally allocated to South Carolina from the U.S. Department of Health.

The Governor’s Office said they will release more details on the rapid school testing on Wednesday. At last check, DHEC’s goal is to have those rapid testing kits sent out to schools late next week.

RELATED: Schools are 'one of the safest places' for kids during pandemic, CDC director says

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