COVID-19 Safety Protocols 2021-22

HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?

Once every two weeks, your child will be sent home with a kit containing two tests. You will be told which day of the week to administer the tests. We are waiting to see which day of the week we will receive the tests in order to determine that date. Once we have a better understanding of the shipment schedule, we will provide a testing schedule to enrolled families.

As an example, if your child were to receive their test kit on Tuesday, February 1, we would ask you to administer one test on the morning of Wednesday, February 2. If the test results are negative you do not need to take any further action and can send your child to school. If the test result is positive, you would visit our website and complete the positive notification form. You would then report your child absent to their school and follow all quarantining guidelines.

If your child were to test negative on February 2, you would administer the second test on Wednesday, February 9, and follow the previously referenced procedures.

Your child would then receive a new box of tests on the week of February 14.

We will not be able to provide additional tests kits prior to the pre-selected distribution dates.

CAN MY CHILD STILL PARTICIPATE IN THE POOL TESTING PROGRAM?

Yes. In fact, we encourage families to enroll their children in all of our available testing programs. Alternatively, if you’d prefer NOT to have them participate once they have enrolled in this new at-home program, you can notify their school or simply tell them to refuse the test on the day of testing.

CAN I OBTAIN EXTRA TESTS FOR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS?

No. Since this is a program sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, we are only able to enroll BPS students and staff. We are only able to provide one test per participant every two weeks.

SHOULD I OPT IN IF MY CHILD TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS?

According to the CDC, a positive antigen test result for a symptomatic person may need follow-up testing if the person has a low likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Per the CDC, instances in which an individual would have a low likelihood of infection include:

- A person who has not had close contact or suspected exposure to a person with COVID-19 within the last 10 days.

- A person who is up to date with their vaccines.

- A person who has had a COVID-19 infection in the last 90 days.

 

In accordance with recommendations put forth by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, we recommend that anyone who has tested positive in the last 90 days refrains from testing again until the 90-day period has lapsed.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AT-HOME TESTS?
 
Self-tests are great in many ways and have lots of utility, and more are likely coming on the market in the future, but they are the responsibility of the person taking them. They are NOT the responsibility of public health.

• People with Self-Tests should notify their OWN close contacts.
• Self-tests are NOT OFFICIAL TEST RESULTS for many scenarios, and people should consider that when determining which test type to perform.  
• If someone has a positive self-test – they should act like they are positive and isolate. Positive home tests DO NOT need to be reported to the board of health. Again, notifying close contacts is the responsibility of the person taking the test.
• We encourage residents to download the app using the QR code found on the outside of the box and on the instruction pamphlet. The app will allow you to create a “certificate” which you can email directly to your Healthcare Provider and show to your school/employer/childcare.
• We encourage residents to set up MassNotify on their smartphone to help notify close contacts. More info here.

The Brockton Public Schools Health Services Department will cease its contact tracing program effective Monday, January 31, in favor of encouraging every family who is concerned about possible COVID-19 exposure to enroll in this new at-home testing program. If a child tests positive, their parents/guardians are responsible for notifying any close contacts who they interacted with outside of school.