GUELPH -- Region of Waterloo and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health will both participate in the province's newly announced rapid COVID-19 testing program for students.

The program was announced by the province's top doctor on Tuesday. Starting next week, local public health units will be able to deploy rapid antigen test kits to "high-risk' schools due to ongoing COVID-19 cases, outbreaks, a prevalence of COVID-19 in the surrounding community, or all three.

"Region of Waterloo Public Health will work with local school and child care operators to prepare for targeted rapid antigen screening to be available for children in select schools and licensed child care centres, based on recommendations from our local medical officer of Health, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang. These would be determined based on local epidemiology and data with an equity lens," a statement from Region of Waterloo Public Health said in part.

“I am pleased to see the province add this layer of protection,” said Dr. Nicola Mercer, Medical Officer of Health for WDG, in a news release. “This program adds another local tool to fight this pandemic in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph. Locally, we will use the best available health data to ensure these tests are used as effectively as possible to protect children who are most at risk from COVID-19.”

The health unit will use local data to identify schools and child-care centres that need the rapid tests. The rapid tests will only be used for unvaccinated students without COVID-19 symptoms or children who aren't high-risk contacts.

Anyone with symptoms or who has been identified as a high-risk contact should use a PCR test available at local COVID-19 testing sites.

Dr. Wang's statement said the rapid testing shouldn't be used to determine whether or not students should go to school.

Anyone who tests positive using a rapid test should also get a PCR COVID-19 test.

The announcement of the new rapid testing program is coming as a relief for some parents in the region.

"I was frustrated last week. I think now as long as the tests are used appropriately and equitably and in places that are needed, that's important," said Waterloo parent Meaghan Gibbons.

Gibbons was part of a group of parents who wanted to surveillance test their children's schools on their own. She said testing will help protect those like her youngest children who can't yet be vaccinated.

"Differentiate between what's a cold and what's COVID, so there are lots of symptoms that are not included in the school screener," she explained.

But some parents said testing should be available in all schools, not just those with outbreaks.

"That's horrendous we have to wait until there are widespread outbreaks before we get access," said parent Kimiko Shibata.

She said the government should reconsider its reactive approach and be more proactive with testing.

"Rapid tests can help us to minimize disruption to learning, disruption to families, they can help us avoid outbreaks to protect communities," Shibata said.

With files from CTV Toronto