School District To Get Three Rapid Covid-19 Testing Machines

The school district is receiving three rapid antigen Covid-19 test machines from the Somerset County Department of Health.

Schools Superintendent John Ravally made the announcement during the Board of Education’s workshop session on July 15.

“We have a pretty good relationship with the county health department, and we’re a district that responded pretty quickly when there was an offer at the county level to secure rapid antigen test machines for the district,” Ravally said during the meeting. “So, we have three rapid antigen test machines that have been promised to the district.”

Somerset County spokeswoman Lisa Kreuger said the district will receive the machines on August 15.

Kreuger said other school districts in the county are also receiving the machines, but she did not have information on how many.

“This is part of our continuing effort to make sure that schools are in the best position possible to reopen in the fall,” Kreuger said. “Another example is our effort to vaccinate students age 12 and up. We don’t advertise that; that is coordinated with the schools.”

Ravally said the district’s medical staff has gone through training on the machines.

He said the district has not yet decided on which schools would get the machines, but said that Franklin High School would “probably” get one.

“That’s the largest school we have,” he said.

Ravally said one of the two Middle School campuses would probably get one, and one would probably be sent to either Claremont of Franklin Park elementary schools.

Ravally acknowledged the low accuracy of the rapid tests, but said the district would adapt.

He said if a student gets a positive result, the student will be isolated for a few days and a PCR test will be administered.

“If it’s negative, they’ve only missed a couple of days of school,” he said.

Your Thoughts

comments