Secondary school pupils and staff are being urged to get a coronavirus test ahead of the schools reopening this week.
National guidelines mean they should take a lateral flow device (LFD) test one or two days before school resumes, then test twice weekly.
Public health consultant Dr Andrew Rideout said: “We’ve recently seen an increase in Covid-19 cases within the region and Dumfries and Galloway has moved up towards the upper end of positivity rates within Scotland.
“This is not what we had hoped for and it comes as we prepare for the reopening of schools which have already been so badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Testing meanwhile provides a means to help protect not just people and communities but also essential services such as education.
“The national directions state that staff returning to secondary schools and all pupils should take an LFD test one to two days before returning.
“They should then continue taking twice-weekly tests. In the first instance this will help identify cases before term restarts, helping to avoid the coronavirus being introduced into schools.
“Ongoing testing will help identify any subsequent cases, especially those where there might not be any symptoms for that person.”
Schools in the region resume on Thursday with teachers returning tomorrow for a staff training day.
Free testing kits are available from pharmacies, over the phone or from testing sites. Results should then be recorded at www.nhsdg.co.uk/testing/
Education committee chairman Jeff Leaver said: “Our head teachers are looking forward to reopening our schools and having classrooms full of young people again.
“The Scottish Government has updated their guidance which means that no longer will whole classes have to self-isolate following the identification of a positive case. This is very good news.
“However, coupled with this is the need for all young people to be vigilant and observe the mitigations within our schools. Regular, asymptomatic testing will enhance the confidence of our school communities by helping to identify cases of Covid early.
“Testing is everyone’s responsibility. We want our schools to be safe places for all our staff and young people to teach and learn in.”
