iBerkshires.com reports the  North Adams school district has been accepted into a pilot program for "pool" testing of students and their teachers for the novel coronavirus.
Pool testing means mixing samples from a group, such as a classroom, and testing for COVID-19 antigens. A negative test means the entire group is clear; a positive test means that each person in the pool would have to follow up with rapid result testing.
"Within 15 minutes, we would know who the positive individuals are because they would need to isolate and we would need to do our contact tracing," Malkas said.
This would give the school system some control of real-time data rather than relying on the current community transmission rates, which may not relate to schools. According to state data, schools have not been significant factors in spreading the virus.
The district has been reacting to "historical data," she said and has had to rely on parents and staff being forthcoming with regard to exposures and results.
Read the entire story now at iBerkshires.com.

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