***Update, noon 29 Oct.***
The government has still not released publicly its guidelines on COVID-19 testing for students.
***Original story***
The rollout of rapid-result lateral flow testing for COVID-19 is a key part of the government’s plan for schools to respond to ongoing community transmission of the virus.
Health Minister Sabrina Turner said guidelines on testing for students will be released today, Thursday 28 Oct.
Turner said in a recorded message Wednesday, “As we are doing with schools on Grand Cayman, we will be offering lateral flow tests in Cayman Brac schools so we can quickly identify cases and advise on isolation as needed, with the intent to make the process as quick and efficient as possible.”
She said, “National guidelines on COVID-19 testing for students and children will be released to the public [on Thursday, 28 Oct.].”
On Monday, Joanna Clarke Primary School Principal Delton Pedley sent a letter to parents and guardians containing some details on lateral flow testing policies in the Savannah school.
According to the letter posted on the school’s Facebook page, the testing “will impact the treatment of positive cases in schools”.
The tests are not mandatory, but the school will act as a “distribution centre” for parents/guardians who request the tests. Testing will be done Mondays and Thursdays at home (or the night prior) and results will be reported to Public Health via an online portal.
Positive results must be reported to the school. A student who tests positive on the lateral flow test will stay home and Public Health will schedule a PCR test.
“If the PCR test is positive, the child will quarantine. Members of the household, classmates, and the teacher will undergo daily LFT testing for 10 days,” according to the letter.