Health Services Update 3/5/21

We are pleased to report that our community COVID-19 cases continue to decline steadily. These numbers are especially encouraging as we continue to return all of our students to full-time learning over the next week.  Please check the Hanover Public Schools COVID-19 Dashboard regularly to view new cases and trends.

Pooled Testing Program 

Our pooled testing program is fully operational.  Over the past two weeks, we sent nearly 1,800 individual swabs for COVID-19 PCR testing through this program.  From those tests, we identified only three positive cases.  These cases were quickly contact traced, and there were only a few quarantines as a result.  Over the past week, we have seen a substantial increase in the number of students and staff who have consented to pooled testing - over 1,300 people to date.  Based on feedback from the community, we will focus the bulk of our testing on Tuesdays in order to minimize any disruptions to the in-person learning days and weekend activities.  We have been notified that the state is extending our pooled testing funding through April 18th - longer than originally reported.  Students and staff may enter or exit the pooled testing program at any time.  Please reach out to your school nurse or the Director of Health Services if you have any questions.

Rapid Testing for Pooled Testing Follow-Up

Beginning next week, all of the follow-up testing for positive pools will be done using the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 antigen test.  This test, approved by the MDPH and DESE, provides reliable results in 15 minutes.  We expect all pooled tests to be completed on Tuesdays and follow-up rapid tests for any positive pools to be completed on Wednesday mornings at the Hanover Council on Aging.  Following the rapid testing, no one who is negative will be required to quarantine unless they are later found to be a close contact of a person diagnosed with COVID-19.  If you have any questions about the rapid COVID-19 tests, please refer to the DESE Webpage or contact your school nurse.

If you would like to consent for your child to participate in the pooled testing, please log onto ASPEN and initiate a new COVID-19 Pooled Testing Consent.  We hope that many more of our families will participate, especially now that we have the ability to conduct rapid follow-up testing.

We are also excited that our teachers and staff are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination, and we believe this is a critical step toward recovery as a community and beyond.  We will keep you updated in the weeks ahead.    

Sincerely,

Matt Ferron
Superintendent

Tricia Smith, BSN RN NCSN
Director of Health Services