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District offers free COVID-19 testing to staff, students

By
Mavis Fodness

Free coronavirus testing will continue at Luverne Public Schools for the upcoming school year.
A grant from the Minnesota Department of Education will support the three tests available in the 2021-22 school year.
Available tests include an at-home, over-the-counter option, the cue test administered in the school’s health office and the vault test.
The at-home and cue test options provide results within 20 minutes.
The vault test requires an individual to collect a saliva sample and complete a Zoom call with a health professional. Samples are returned to the school once a week and sent to a testing lab. Results are emailed to individuals within 48 hours.
The vault test was available to school staff last school year.
“We don’t have to participate in the testing,” said Elementary Principal Stacy Gillette. “We feel strongly that working together will help us stay in an in-person setting.”
The at-home, over-the-counter test may be picked up at school and used when necessary.
Gillette outlined the three testing options at the Aug. 26 Luverne School Board meeting, which was attended by 27 parents and district staff.
Gillette also previewed the district’s plan for when a staff member or student tests positive or when a household member is positive.
The plan outlines steps for contact tracing and days in quarantine for vaccinated and unvaccinated students and staff and for those who chose to use a face covering while in school.
Generally, those who have been vaccinated, tested positive within the last 90 days, or used a face covering around an infected person are not required to quarantine if they’ve come into close contact with an infected person.
Close contact is defined as being within 3 feet of an infected individual for 15 minutes or longer over the course of 24 hours.
The MDE recommended the plan in mid-August.
“We must use every available tool to keep our students in classrooms because we know that is the best for their well-being and academic success,” said MDE Commissioner Heather Mueller.
“We stand ready to partner with and support our school leaders across the state as they develop COVID-19 testing plans that keep our students, staff and families healthy and safe.”
The testing program is in response to increasing spread of COVID-19 across the state.
The Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control recommend that all unvaccinated school-aged children and school staff be tested at least weekly throughout the school year. Unvaccinated children involved in extracurricular activities should be tested more frequently.
Vaccination is available to anyone ages 12 and older.
Locally, the district’s incident command team will track positive cases and those quarantined due to close contact. Those numbers will be included in newsletters from the school.
School officials strongly recommend staff and students stay at home if not feeling well, even if the COVID-19 test is negative.
 
In other business, school board members:
•hired Beryl Moser and Jonathon Dolo as part-time housekeepers.
•approved Matt Fodness and Cody Rofshus as volunteer football coaches.

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