Ontario Science Advisory Table recommends more rapid COVID-19 testing for students

The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table is recommending health officials implement voluntary rapid testing in higher-risk locations such as schools and workplaces.

The science advisory table is advising weekly voluntary screening of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people in elementary schools where new COVID-19 cases are close to 50 per million people per day.

“What we found out when we tried to address all the concerns of various experts was this actually really should work and be helpful to keep in-person learning going,” said Dr. Peter Juni, the scientific director of the science advisory table.

“Hamilton, for example, is in an area where it absolutely makes sense to start to use them once a week.”

The group of expert advisers on COVID-19 say health officials in those areas could also use rapid antigen tests in workplaces and congregate settings.

If a health unit or area’s new daily cases reach 250 per million people per day, it says “weekly testing is likely not frequent enough to reduce spread effectively.”

In that situation, the science advisory table says unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people should take a rapid test two to three times a week.

It adds that public health units in that position could also look into voluntary testing of fully vaccinated people.