Starting Monday, Arlington Public School students who have not been vaccinated and have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 will need to be tested for coronavirus to stay in school.
Arlington Public School students who have not been vaccinated and have been in close contact with someone from COVID-19 will need to pass a test for coronavirus to stay in school.
The new policy will take effect on February 14 if the school system takes part in it. Virginia Department of Health Test Program for Staywhich may offer some students an alternative to staying home due to exposure to the virus.
The program is designed for cases of infection occurring in county schools. According to the VDH, unvaccinated students who fall ill at school will be required to take tests at home before school, within five days of infection.
Arlington Public Schools said control testing will be available to these students at the Syphax Education Center from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on school days.
Arlington’s updated policy follows the example of neighbors Fairfax County, which began its pre-stay testing program in January.
On your website, VDH said students who took the test to stay had to be exposed at school, on the school bus, in public or in their family. They should also proceed asymptomatically, not be aware of COVID-19 vaccines and be willing and able to disguise.
The state also recommends that any student who gives a positive result, shows symptoms or is unable to mask, be sent home for self-isolation after infection.
Arlington County schools already have it allowed parents to select children for the weekly testing program in schools.
Beginning Monday, the school system will strengthen its ability to test students by adding another testing firm to the mix. Aegis Solutions will join the current ResourcePath testing campaign in setting up test activities in schools.