The Department of Education is expanding a pilot program launched earlier this month to reduce the disruption COVID-19 cases have on schools and student learning.
Announced by Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, Sarah Mitchell, the Department’s Rapid Antigen Home Testing (RAHT) program aims to reduce the time students and staff spend away from school if they are identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 positive case.
“Under NSW Health advice, close contacts of COVID positive cases can return to school after seven days, provided they receive a negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test result on Day 7 of their exposure date and consistent negative rapid antigen test results from Day 8 until Day 14,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Using RAHT, our pilot at Albury North Public School has shown that tests are effective in reducing the amount of time close contacts spend learning from home, with 38 students able to return to the classroom after seven days, instead of the standard 14 for unvaccinated close contacts,” she said.
“The targeted rollout will include more than 500,000 RAHT kits ready for rapid deployment to any primary school that records a positive case.”
Ms Mitchell said the Statewide rollout would focus on Government and non-Government primary schools, because those students remained unvaccinated.
The Minister said a process for unvaccinated high school students was currently being explored.
She said additional measures to protect against COVID-19 in schools included mandatory vaccinations for school staff and visitors; mask wearing; cohorting; increased natural ventilation; physical distancing rules; and other hygiene measures.
