When a student or staff member with COVID-19 is present in school during their infectious period, the school may implement Test to Stay for unvaccinated close contacts.
Who can participate?
Unvaccinated, asymptomatic students (ages 5 and up) and staff who are close contacts of a positive COVID-19 case.
When should we use Test to Stay?
When a student or staff member with COVID-19 is present in school during their infectious period, the school may implement Test to Stay for unvaccinated close contacts. When a case is identified during the school day, the following should occur:
- The school should conduct contact tracing to identify close contacts.
- Unvaccinated students and staff close contacts finish the school day as normal.
- The following day, unvaccinated close contacts that do not participate in Test to Stay must quarantine (stay home from school). Unvaccinated close contacts who participate in Test to Stay will come to school as normal, but must be tested before beginning the school day.
- Schools may house students in a designated area, where they will not mix with students and staff who are not testing until they have their results.
- Students may ride the bus to school, but must remain masked at all times, per federal regulations. If a student receives a positive antigen test, it will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian to pick the student up from school and they will not be permitted to ride the bus home, as they are now considered a positive COVID-19 case.
- Close contacts will receive an antigen test until 7 days have elapsed from the date of last exposure to the case.
- While students/staff are participating in Test to Stay antigen testing they should quarantine while outside of school, including over the weekend.
Siblings of positive cases should follow these protocols:
- If the close contact sibling is vaccinated they do NOT need to quarantine but we do recommend a PCR test between day 5-7 after last exposure or immediately if any symptoms develop.
- If the close contact is an unvaccinated sibling of a positive case and the positive case can isolate away from the sibling, and the sibling remains asymptomatic, they may test out on or after day 7 with a negative PCR test.
- If the positive case and the sibling cannot remain isolated from each other the sibling will remain in quarantine until then end of the isolation of the positive case + 14 days. If asymptomatic they can get a PCR test on or after day 7, if negative they can end their quarantine.
Because their exposure is outside of school they would not be eligible for TTS.
Scenario 1 – Individual is symptomatic, antigen test negative
When a student or staff member is symptomatic, they will get an antigen test. If the antigen test comes back negative:
- the individual should still be sent home and receive a confirmatory in-school response PCR test before they leave school. If an in-school test in unavailable, the school may provide a Take Home PCR Test, (see test type 3) to be self-administered at home and either mailed that same day to the lab via UPS or other courier service, or returned to the school for shipping
- close contacts do not need to be identified yet, and other students and staff members will continue their day as normal
- if the symptomatic individual’s PCR test comes back positive/, the school commences a Test to Stay Program for unvaccinated close contacts who chose to participate until seven days post exposure
- If the PCR test comes back negative, no antigen testing is necessary
Scenario 2- Individual is symptomatic, antigen test positive
When a student or staff member is symptomatic, they will get an antigen test. If the antigen test comes back positive:
- the individual should be sent home and go into isolation for 10 days
- Test to Stay should start for unvaccinated close contacts the next day
- antigen testing should continue for 7 days since the date of last exposure
Scenario 3 – Procedures upon learning of a positive PCR result.
When a student or staff member receives a positive test result, regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not:
- the individual should be sent home (or not come to school) and go into isolation for 10 days
- Test to Stay should start for unvaccinated close contacts the next day
- antigen testing should continue for 7 days since the date of last exposure
How are results reported?
- Schools will be using SimpleReport for all rapid antigen tests. It can accommodate all antigen test types and links directly to VDH so that test results to do not need to be reported separately
- SimpleReport is a free web tool created by the CDC that helps make COVID-19 rapid testing and reporting easier for schools
- More information about the registration process is available in the Test to Stay Onboarding Checklist. Please use this guide to register and onboard.
- Please note that there is an option to do a bulk upload of participant data, rather than asking families to preregister.
- This reporting tool includes the option for test results to be sent in real time via text or email to parents/guardians.
Test Type:
- Rapid antigen tests. Both CLIA and non-CLIA waivered test kits may be available depending on the supply chain.
- Test kits are nasal swabs, which can be self-administered by individuals ages 15 and up. An adult must collect the swab for students ages 5 through 14.
Recommended Use Cases:
- In elementary schools: classrooms and any additional close contacts
- In middle and high schools with less than 80% of the eligible population vaccinated contract tracing should be done first to determine close contacts:
- If the close contact is vaccinated, then they would not participate in TTS and will not be required to quarantine. Instead, it is recommended that they complete a PCR test 5-7 days after their exposure
- If the close contact is unvaccinated and asymptomatic, then they can participate in TTS or opt out and follow the protocols for quarantine either with or without a PCR test on day 7.
- Not recommended for middle and high schools where more than 80% of the eligible population is vaccinated.