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Clemmons Middle School and Lewisville Elementary are among 20 schools in Winston-Salem Forsyth County that have begun on-site testing for COVID-19 for students and staff as part of an initiative with Novant Health Educators.

NHE trained the COVID coordinators at the schools to administer the testing for students and staff only.

Testing will be available in more schools by the end of the month as trained staff members from the Forsyth County Department of Public Health begin to assist.

This is a coordinated effort with the health department and WS/FCS to help students and staff return to work or school by providing rapid antigen tests for symptomatic individuals in schools.

They have been trained on PPE use, how to administer the test to a student or staff member, and how to document results in a state program called electronic COVID-19 Aggregate Test Reporting, or eCATR.

“Testing in our communities is limited, and for some parents and staff it’s hard to make appointments and wait for test results,” said Katie Key, WS/FCS director of nurses.

“This is time they could actually spend in school. If they are symptomatic at school, they can get a test and possibly return within 24 hours if they are negative, and their symptoms are improving. These are rapid tests that provide results within fifteen minutes.”

Some of the schools started testing symptomatic students over the past two weeks and some will start this week. More volunteers will also be trained this week and should begin testing next week.