Toronto schools getting take-home COVID-19 test kits

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All publicly-funded schools in Toronto will have access to take-home COVID tests by the end of the week.

The news was announced Monday by the Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen da Villa, who said the swab kits will be provided through partnerships with Women’s College Hospital, Michael Garron Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children.

“We’re very fortunate as the result of the work with these partners that we have take-home PCR testing in our schools,” de Villa said during Monday’s Toronto Board of Health meeting.

The kits, said Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vinita Dubey, are intended for use if the child presents with a COVID-19 symptom, or has close-contact with an infected person — even if they’re fully vaccinated.

The kits can be returned either to the school or a specified drop-off point for laboratory testing.

“My hope is that they continue to really monitor very carefully that which is happening, and to base their actions, not so much on a prediction of what might happen in the future, but to think about what makes the most sense, given all of the lessons that we’ve learned thus far over the course of this pandemic,” Dubey said.

“We’ve certain seen that when this virus is given an opportunity to spread, particularly when you’re dealing with a very transmissible variant of this virus, so I would urge continued caution while of course being optimistic about the progress we’ve made to date.”

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Last week, de Villa announced the city was gearing up to be ready to offer vaccines to children between 5 and 11, just as soon as approval is granted from Health Canada.

While plans for this rollout are still in the works, they include collaboration with school boards, the community and the province.

Ontario began inoculating youth between 12 and 17 in the spring.

Concerns over cases of vaccine-linked myocarditis and pericarditis have given some parents pause about allowing their children to receive the shot, a concern that Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vinita Dubey says remains rare in this province.

“It’s important to know that if you get COVID, you can also get myocarditis and pericarditis,” she told the board, adding that many viral infections can cause heart inflammation.

“Being vaccinated, even if you get a rare case of myocarditis and pericarditis, still is more beneficial compared to getting COVID.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
On Twitter:  @bryanpassifiume