On October 21 the Board of Education had a special meeting to announce that in conjunction with the Community Health Center, Commissioner Cardona of the Connecticut State Department of Education and Governor Lamont, we will be offering free COVID-19 testing to all of our students, staff, and residents through our schools. The CHC will be conducting the testing and are highly trained in this easy and effective process (video below).
Starting Monday, October 26, 2020, the BinaxNow tests will be available at all 11 of our schools every day. This test is for those students and staff that experience symptoms while in school. The BinaxNow test (information on the type of test below) is a rapid test that gives results in 15 minutes.
COVID Testing is available at the Community Health Center at 19 Grand Street Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
BinaxNow Test: The BinaxNow COVID-19 test is a lateral flow test that detects the presence of protein antigens from SARS-CoV-2 in individuals suspected of COVID-19 within the first seven days of symptom onset. Using a nasal swab to get a fluid sample, this antigen test can produce results in minutes. Test results are considered very accurate, but your health care provider may recommend a PCR test to confirm test results. This test will be available in every school every day to symptomatic students and staff.
PCR Test: Known as the “gold standard”, this COVID-19 test detects genetic material of the virus using a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Also called a molecular test, a health care worker collects fluid from a nasal swab. Results are very accurate. This test will be available to everyone in our community, either symptomatic or asymptomatic, at the Community Health Center.
