School staff able to get asymptomatic COVID-19 test at local pharmacies

KITCHENER -- Asymptomatic COVID-19 testing is now available at pharmacies for school staff in Waterloo Region.

Region of Waterloo Public Health said interested staff members need to make an appointment at participating pharmacies and include their school name or board office. School boards will be able to provide a list of participating pharmacies to staff members.

Testing is voluntary.

The region currently offers asymptomatic testing for long-term care or retirement home visitors or workers, a resident or worker at homeless shelters and congregate settings, farm workers, Indigenous people and international students who have finished their 14-day quarantine.

“We are grateful to the Ontario government and Region of Waterloo Public Health for making available COVID-19 testing of asymptomatic school staff,” said Loretta Notten, director of education for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, in a news release. “This is another important step in keeping our learning environments safe, as we continue working hard to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

“We are in full-support of the plan to offer asymptomatic testing in pharmacies to school staff,” said John Bryant, director of education for the Waterloo Region District School Board, in the release. “Keeping students, staff, and families safe is of the utmost importance so we can focus on learning.”

Public health said anyone with mild symptoms should stay home and seek testing at a local assessment centre.

“We are following the best medical advice to protect our schools. Ontario’s chief medical officer of health approved our plan to reopen, which includes the expansion of province-wide asymptomatic testing, along with stricter screening and masking protocols for students and staff," Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in an emailed statement to CTV Kitchener. "We will continue to take action to protect Ontario’s students and staff by enhancing testing capacity – a critical layer of protection that is now accessible to even more families"

Local school boards will need to start performing asymptomatic tests on students next week. A memo from the Ministry of Education said each board is required to test at least five per cent of schools each week.