MPS COVID Testing Information

A BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test can be used in three ways:

1. For Test and Stay

2. For Symptomatic testing

3. As a follow-up to Broad Pooled testing

This section will cover the Test and Stay Protocol and Symptomatic Testing. For information on using BinaxNOW as a follow-up to Broad Pooled testing, please refer to our section on Broad pooling with BinaxNOW Follow-Up

Test and Stay

For when an individual has been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual while at school.

With this method of testing, a BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen test should be administered to the potentially exposed individual for 5 consecutive days. To account for weekends, DESE's language also includes "7 days from date of exposure." The individual can safely remain in school following each negative BinaxNOW test result. If a test does come back positive, that individual should be sent home as soon as possible.

Example of Test and Stay protocol including the weekend:

• A Student comes in contact with a COVID-19 positive individual on Wednesday.

• The Student should receive one BinaxNOW test each day on Weds, Thurs, and Friday. Assuming all tests are negative, the student can remain in school.

• If the student does not have a school sponsored event over the weekend, they will not be required to test on Sat. or Sun. It is highly recommended the Student quarantine at home during these days.

• On Monday the Student receives their 4th BinaxNOW test. If negative, Student remains in school.

• On Tuesday the Student receives their 5th BinaxNOW test. If negative, Student remains in school.

• Following the five days of consecutive testing (Weds, Thurs, Fri & Mon, Tues) with negative results, AND the seven days since date of exposure (Weds-Tues), the student no longer needs to receive daily tests to stay in school.

IF the Student has a school sponsored event over the weekend

(i.e Athletic game, performance, etc.) an eMed At-Home test can be available for the student to self-administer.

EMed tests may be utilized only if an individual who is currently in the Test and Stay protocol is participating in an athletic or extracurricular activity on a weekend or non-school day. In this case, the individual should receive one eMed test kit to take home on the last day of school prior to the activity, and take the test on the same day as, but prior to arriving at, the event.

If the test is negative the individual should show the negative result to school staff (coaches, etc) at the event, and is cleared to participate. The individual should remain masked.

If the test is positive, the individual should be treated as a positive case.

Symptomatic Testing

Symptomatic Testing simply means that a BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test should be administered to any individual that presents symptoms while at school. A school may select to provide Symptomatic Testing as their sole testing method, or they could choose a combination of Symptomatic testing along with any other testing modality.

COVID-19 symptoms list (Per DESE's guidelines):

• Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• New loss of taste or smell

• Muscle aches or body aches

• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)

• Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms

• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms

• Headache when in combination with other symptoms

• Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms

• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in

combination with other symptoms

The individual may remain in school if they receive a negative result.