Shakespeare said it best: “All’s well that ends well.”
After about 24 hours of uncertainty, Superintendent of Schools Philip Conrad notified faculty and other school staff Friday evening that antigen test kits to detect Covid-19 indeed “will be in Bedford in time to be distributed at the main entrance to Bedford High School on Sunday from 10 a.m. until noon.”
That schedule was announced Thursday, but later in the day the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is distributing the test kits statewide, reported that the delivery would be late. That prompted the head of a state teachers’ union to call for a one-day delay in returning to school.
But at least for Bedford, there appear to be limited consequences: Conrad noted that “because of the limited number of test kits received, each containing two tests will need to be divided so that everyone can have one to use prior to the start of school.”
Conrad’s email to teachers and staff said that DESE expects the delivery on Saturday. The
in-home self-administered test kits take about 15 minutes to complete. Conrad said the goal is for everyone to test “no more than 24 hours prior to returning to school on Monday.”
“These tests are being provided by DESE as a service and while not mandatory, are highly recommended,” he wrote.
Teachers and other staff unable to take advantage of Sunday’s drive-by distribution at BHS can arrive early at their schools on Monday, where testing will be available.
Conrad’s memo also provided the required protocol if a test turns out to be positive: “Please stay home and isolate for five days. It is recommended to follow an Antigen positive test with a PCR test. If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days and you are fever-free for 24 hours, you may return to school on day six.”
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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