Stoneham Ends Test-And-Stay, Moves To At-Home Testing

STONEHAM, MA — The school district has ended its test-and-stay program in favor of opting into the state's at-home testing strategy.

School Nurse Sandra Malzone told the School Committee Thursday night the test-and-stay program's last day would be Friday.

Instead, Stoneham Public Schools will move to at-home testing. Malzone said most people who opted in should have already received their tests (and those who didn't should reach out to her.)

"It's something that they can do at home, some time either Sunday night or Monday morning before they come to school," Malzone said.

She added the school doesn't need to know that you tested a child, but should be notified of a positive test.

Students who have had COVID-19 in the past 90 days shouldn't use the test, she said.

The at-home testing program is expected to be around through at least April vacation, when the state will evaluate.

The state announced the new program last month, intending for it to alleviate the pressure on school nurses to test and contact trace so many students, instead allowing them to identify COVID-19 cases in symptomatic children.

"The nurses have gone above and beyond what anyone could have asked of them," Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said at the time. "But this is something that is just better for our kids and gives more coverage. And at the same time gives [nurses] more relief."

The rapid test supply comes out of the 26 million the state recently secured.

Test-and-stay was a widely used program that rapid-tested students deemed close contacts and allowed them to return to class if the result comes back negative, helping students remain in school despite potential exposure to COVID-19.