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Rapid Covid-19 tests on the way to some Colorado schools

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- As part of ongoing efforts to keep in-person learning as safe as possible, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has developed a new at-home Covid-19 testing program for teachers, staff, and selected students at participating schools.

For teachers and staff who are frequently in close contact with others as part of their jobs, this test is designed to facilitate more regular testing. Colorado has been selected as one of three states with early access to the home-use BinaxNOW program.

Devra Ashby with Colorado Springs School District 11 said, “We know that testing is an essential part in suppressing the virus so obtaining tests that are more accessible to our staff and students would help us to get our kids back into the classroom which is ultimately our end goal.”

Ashby says that District 11 is actively investigating the use of this new rapid test and are currently working to complete the required waiver necessary to administer it.

"There are still some unknown factors of what the test will include, how we are going to adhere to HIPAA rules and regulations and how we are going to utilize the test to the best of our capabilities,” she said.

With this new rapid testing, results are available within 15 minutes of collecting a nasal swab sample. People age 15 and older may collect their own samples while children ages 4-14 may have samples collected by an adult.

“We want to make sure we are watching out for our teachers, our students and our community and limiting the spread as best as we can while also balancing that fine line of keeping students in the classroom,” said Ashby.

Teachers, staff, and selected students at participating schools and their parents or guardians will be able to use a web portal to order the tests, which will then be shipped directly to their home.

The department of Public Health and Environment is working to make home BinaxNOW tests available through the end of this school year to all districts and private schools that opt into the program.

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Kolby Crossley

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