Take-home COVID-19 tests coming to Toronto public schools
Students at Toronto schools who are exposed to COVID-19 in class may have the option of doing a take-home test instead of booking an appointment at a community clinic.
Toronto Public Health announced Monday that it’s partnering with Ontario Health, SickKids, Women’s College Hospital, and Michael Garron Hospital to expand a take-home testing program.
Schools will provide the take-home tests to students if they have symptoms or were exposed to someone with COVID-19. Students can do the tests at home using a less-invasive nose or saliva swab.
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This follows an announcement from the province that select high schools in certain health regions will pilot take-home COVID-19 tests this year. In the provincial pilot, students who test positive at home will need to book a follow-up PCR test to confirm their positive result.
York and Peel regions were included in the provincial pilot, but Toronto was left out. Officials said they didn’t want to duplicate the services being offered by Toronto Public Health and partner hospitals.
TPH is also recommending students as young as kindergarten wear masks in class, and is urging students 12 and up to get their vaccine as soon as possible.
Daily Hive has reached out to SickKids for more information on the testing program but has not yet heard back.
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