A Queanbeyan school is participating in an expanded trial of rapid antigen tests as the ACT has decided to drop a school pilot for the rest of this year.
Rapid antigen home testing kits have been distributed to Queanbeyan West Public School to reduce the amount of time close contacts need to spend in quarantine.
A NSW Department of Education spokesman said the trial would allow close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases to return to school after seven days instead of 14.
"Students need to get a standard PCR (nose and mouth swab) test on day six and if the result is negative, they will then be able to use rapid antigen tests from day eight of their exposure date and be able return to onsite learning," the spokesman said.
"A positive rapid antigen home test doesn't mean an individual necessarily has COVID-19. It means they need to get a standard PCR test straight away to confirm the result."
Rapid antigen home testing cannot take the place of a standard PCR test for the purposes of diagnosing COVID-19 or as evidence of a negative test as a result of being a close contact, the spokesman said.
The school has been closed for multiple days since students returned to face-to-face learning because of positive COVID-19 cases.
It was selected to be part of an extended trial alongside The Lakes Christian College in Castlereagh, William Stimson Public School, Henschke Primary School, Moonbi Public School, Epping West Public School.
The NSW government is now planning to extend the rollout of rapid antigen tests in schools following the initial successful pilot at Albury North Public School.
The targeted rollout will include more than 500,000 test kits ready for rapid deployment to any primary school that records a positive case.
Meanwhile, the ACT government has decided not to proceed with a similar pilot this term, claiming there was not enough time to get the trial up and running for the last four weeks of term 4.
"With only four weeks left in the school year, there is not enough time to ensure the effective establishment and operation of a pilot," an ACT government spokesperson said.
"We know from other jurisdictions that implementing a trial is complex.
"We are aware that this has been a stressful year for many Canberrans. Looking to implement this program so close to the term ending would only generate more stress for children and their families."
They said ACT government's focus for the rest of 2021 would instead be on making schools as COVID-safe as possible while those under 12 are unable to be vaccinated.
More than 20 Canberra school sites have been impacted by a COVID-19 exposure since the return to face-to-face learning.
- with AAP
