Dear Parents(s) and Guardian(s):

The Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough, in accordance with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Public Health (DPH), and in consultation with the Medical Advisory Team,  is updating its COVID-19 Testing Program.  For more information about this update to the statewide testing program, please click here.

The District is opting into a weekly at-home antigen testing program as an additional testing option to its weekly pooled screening. The District will continue with routine COVID Safety Checks (pooled screening) on Mondays and the at-home antigen tests will be done on Thursdays.  This combination of testing programs will increase testing opportunities for our participating students and staff. The at-home testing option will begin the week of February 7, 2022.  Again, the District will continue with routine COVID Safety Checks (pooled screening) on Mondays. If you have questions, please contact Mary Ellen Duggan, Health Coordinator and Nurse Leader at  mduggan@nsboro.k12.ma.us.

To participate in this new testing program, DESE requires that schools discontinue the Test and Stay program and contact tracing for in-school close contacts.  The Test and Stay program has been an important component of the District’s testing program up to this point. In review of the data, at the state level, 2% of individuals in the Test and Stay program have tested positive; in our District that number has been much lower at 0.7%. This tells us that exposures in the school setting led to a very low risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, even in people who were not yet vaccinated.   This data also shows transmission from close contacts is a rare occurrence in school and therefore extensive contact tracing is not adding significant value as a mitigation strategy despite the demand they place on the time of the school staff.  As of Friday, February 4, 2022 contact tracing in school will stop.  Out of school close contacts will need to follow DPH quarantine guidelines.

In addition to participation in the now twice-weekly testing, it remains critically important that people with any symptoms stay home and seek SARS-CoV-2 testing. Throughout the pandemic, the District has observed that most transmissions occur from people who are symptomatic, and this remains the case with Omicron. Please note that home antigen tests may be negative in the first few days of symptoms, and so remaining home until several daily tests are negative, or seeking PCR testing, is recommended. A positive antigen test for someone with symptoms or known exposure does not need to be confirmed by PCR.

The District strongly encourages everyone, regardless of vaccine status,  to participate in both pooled and home antigen-based testing programs  each week.  This new at-home testing opportunity is voluntary and only those who opt-in will receive tests. For initial supply ordering purposes, please complete the opt-in form by February 4, 2022.  This form will remain open, so you can opt-in at any time. If you have questions, please contact Mary Ellen Duggan  mduggan@nsboro.k12.ma.us.

COVID-19 Testing Programs in our Schools:

1. Routine COVID Safety Checks (PCR pooled screening) every Monday (If you have not yet signed up, click here)
2. NEW At-Home Rapid Antigen Testing on Thursdays  ( to sign up, complete this opt-in form)
3. Symptomatic Testing - for students/staff that become symptomatic while at school.

Overview: At-Home Rapid Testing Program

• About the Test: iHealth is a 15-minute at-home FDA-approved rapid antigen test
• Opt-In: To participate, you must opt in by completing the opt-in form. By opting in, you will agree to review the training materials for test administration, report positive test results, and administer the tests according to the District guidelines.  You do not need to participate in the pooled screening to participate in the at-home antigen test program.
• Weekly: Every two weeks you will receive an iHealth at-home rapid test kit. Each kit contains two individual tests. You will administer one test each week on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning (prior to coming to school).
• Reporting Positive Test Results: If you test positive on an at-home antigen test, you will report the positive result using the [positive result notification form]. The district will keep the results confidential and will not make individual results public. In addition, it is strongly recommended that you inform your healthcare provider of the positive result. If you test negative, there is no reporting necessary.
• After testing positive for COVID-19: You should not participate in pooled screening for 90 days.  You should not participate in at-home antigen testing for 90 days unless advised by your healthcare provider.

How do I administer the test?

• Click here for a full “how to” written guide in various languages
• Click here for a video of an individual self-testing

How do I submit results?

• Submit POSITIVE Results only: You must submit positive test results here. [STUDENT Positive At-home antigen test results]
• Confidentiality: Individual results will remain confidential, and they will never be made public.