Free antigen tests in primary school children roll out from today; Know how it works

Antigen test to close contacts of Covid patients will roll out in primary schools from today. In the scheme, children who have close contacts with a Covid positive person in their class pod will receive a free antigen test.

It works as follows: if a child becomes positive after a PCR test by a parent, this has to be informed to the principal of the school. The principal will pass this information to the parents of children who are in the same pod and gives details on free antigen tests.

If just one pod is involved, only the children in this pod will be offered antigen tests. If there are two pods with separate confirmed cases of Covid, then parents of children in the whole class will be contacted and provided with the information on how they can request antigen tests. 

The children in the pod of the confirmed case can continue to attend school as long as they have no symptoms.

If a child shows symptoms, home quarantine is mandatory. A PCR test also is needed even after a negative antigen test result for symptomatic cases.

The move is to make schools Covid free after cases of child infections increased recently. Meanwhile the parents can decide whether their children need antigen test or not.

Source: Journal.ie

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