Rapid COVID-19 tests deployed to 11 schools in Barrhaven and Riverside South

Ottawa Public Health is making rapid COVID-19 test kits available for students at 11 schools in Barrhaven and Riverside South, as the area sees a "significant increase" in transmission.

There are COVID-19 outbreaks at 11 schools in the two south-end neighbourhoods, with Half Moon Bay Public School currently closed due to COVID-19 cases. At least 45 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to an outbreak at the Barrhaven Martial Arts Centre, which was cleared to reopen this week by the health unit.

"Ottawa Public Health is closely monitoring a significant increase in COVID-19 activity in the Barrhaven/Riverside South community," said OPH in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.

"Some areas of Barrhaven/Riverside South are currently experiencing rates of COVID-19 that are over double the average rates compared to the rest of the city of Ottawa."

To address the rise in cases in the neighbourhoods, the health unit is providing rapid antigen screening tests to all Barrhaven-Riverside South area schools currently experiencing a declared or possible outbreak.

"Students will be provided with a kit of Rapid Antigen Tests to use three times per week (Monday/Wednesday/Friday) prior to the holiday break," said OPH in a statement to CTV News Ottawa on Friday.

"Students may begin to use these tests as soon as they are received and continue to do so for the 1 to 2 weeks of school remaining before the holiday break."

Ottawa Public Health says the use of rapid antigen tests is "voluntary" and only intended to be used by students who are asymptomatic and have not been told to isolate due to a high-risk exposure.

"Students will be directed to use these rapid antigen tests at home prior to attending school as an added layer of screening," said OPH.

Schools also have take-home PCR tests for students and staff who develop symptoms and/or who have been told they have had a high-risk exposure.

Ottawa Public Health deployed rapid antigen tests to Carson Grove Elementary School and Chapel Hill Catholic School this fall following closures at the school.

"Rapid antigen tests are for asymptomatic unvaccinated students to use while attending class – not students who have been dismissed as part of an exposed cohort or as high-risk contacts," said medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches.

On Thursday, Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table endorsed asymptomatic COVID-19 surveillance testing for elementary school students.

The table said that in areas where there are 35 or more weekly cases per 100,000 people, elementary students should be tested with a rapid antigen screening test once per week. In areas with 250 or more weekly cases per 100,000, the science table recommended elementary and high school students be tested two to three times per week.

Two of Adam Fulton’s three children attend St. Emily Catholic School in Barrhaven. There was a case of COVID in his daughter Anna’s Grade 3-4 split class. Just to be safer, Fulton kept his son Charlie home for the week as well.

"We wanted to make sure he stays safe as well as keeping everyone at the school safe," says Fulton, whose other child is fully vaccinated.

"We kept them home last year in virtual school, all of them so this is really our first experience with an outbreak at a school with classrooms that we are directly involved with. So we’re just taking a really cautious approach right waiting for the data to come in and seeing what the cases are doing over the next 48 to 72 hours."

Fulton welcomes rapid test kits, saying it's a move in the right direction, especially as the holiday break approaches.

"Whether it’s getting PCR results back or the rapid tests at home it’s just gives us more confidence and a little bit more safety," says Fulton, who has not decided if his children will return when class resumes next week. "We’re seeing if the cases are going up or plateauing and stabilizing and it’s just going to help inform our depiction in the days to come."

Greg Delahunty’s two boys attend Half Moon Bay Elementary School, which closed this week after an outbreak was declared. There are 25 confirmed cases at the school.

"We’re just trying to wade our way through it the best we can," says Delahunty. "We keep getting notifications there's a confirmed case on a bus or a confirmed case in one of the classes your kids is in."

With files from CP24 web content writer Chris Herhalt