On February 16, the District 90 COVID-19 antigen testing initiative will be expanded to include symptomatic household members of the District’s students, faculty, and staff.
Since January, District 90 has provided testing for COVID-19 to symptomatic students, staff, or those who have been exposed as close contacts to diagnosed COVID-19 patients. The Abbott BinaxNOW rapid-response antigen tests have been conducted on-site in a secure location at Roosevelt Middle School. Symptomatic individuals have had the tests administered during scheduled appointments three times per week (as need dictates).
Administered by licensed and BinaxNOW-trained medical professionals, the test can be read in approximately 15 – 30 minutes. In District 90, the individuals who are qualified to conduct the tests and interpret results are School Nurses, the Infection Control Officer, and independent contractors with confirmed medical certification. Symptomatic individuals with either a positive or a negative result will be counseled to see their physician for follow-up directions and/or quarantine. Test results for all individuals will be reported to the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and are subject to contact tracing.
The test center will be open for symptomatic students, staff, or D90 immediate household members who have been approved for testing by a D90 School Nurse, Infection Control Officer, or Administrator. Students must have a signed “authorization/consent for testing” from a parent or guardian and a signed authorization that allows for sharing of student medical information between the family (child), physician, and District 90. Adults are required to sign consent for testing.
The tests have been sourced at no cost to the District or participants from the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The District is enthusiastic about the role it will play in assisting students, families, and staff members in mitigating the risk of COVID-19 transmission within the D90 community, and by extension, the entire community.
For more information about the expansion of this testing initiative, please click here.