Fewer than 100 participate in first asymptomatic testing clinics in Hamilton schools

Fewer than 100 students and staff participated in the first rapid asymptomatic COVID-19 testing clinics in Hamilton schools.

Hamilton public health said 65 students and 21 staff members were tested at two seven-hour mobile clinics on Saturday. Each clinic had a testing capacity of 400 per day - a number determined based on enrolment size of the schools and past uptake in other communities, according to public health.

I'm sure the weather had a little bit to do with the uptake in testing," Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, said at a media briefing on Tuesday.

Testing was offered in cafeterias at Bishop Ryan Catholic Elementary School in Hannon and Orchard Park Secondary School in Stoney Creek during a snowy long weekend. Asymptomatic staff and students learning in person at the two high schools, as well as neighbouring elementary schools Eastdale and Winona, were able to register for a rapid test.

The combined student population at the eligible schools is approximately 4,800.

No positive cases were found.

We do know that what happens in schools reflects what's happening in the community," Richardson said, adding that case counts in Hamilton are generally on a downward trend.

It absolutely does not mean that people in these areas should let their guard down."

She said the first schools to receive testing were selected in areas that have lower access to testing, that had higher rates of illness and had outbreaks in schools."

Orchard Park has had a total of seven cases of the virus since September, and no outbreaks. An outbreak was reported in December at Eastdale. Bishop Ryan has reported a total of 13 cases among its approximately 1,400 in-person learners. No outbreaks have been reported at the school.

Schools in Hamilton reopened for in-person learning last Monday with enhanced health and safety measures in place and the promise of asymptomatic testing after weeks of remote learning.

The Panbio COVID-19 rapid antigen test is less invasive" than the nasopharyngeal swab - it can be done either by swabbing the throat and both nostrils or deep nasal swabbing" - but has a higher risk of a false-negative and false-positive result," public health spokesperson James Berry said in an email to The Spectator.

Rapid tests can be used as a screening tool for asymptomatic testing, and positive results need to be confirmed by a non-rapid PCR test at an assessment centre."

Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board chair Pat Daly said turnout for asymptomatic testing at Bishop Ryan was lower than what obviously our staff would have preferred."

What I've heard from my staff is that it went very well," he said. The weather wasn't great on Saturday ... so I'm sure that was a deterrent to some."

Daly speculated that the geographic nature of Bishop Ryan's catchment area, some of which is very rural," could have been another factor.

In an email to The Spectator, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board spokesperson Shawn McKillop said this weekend's testing was a learning experience" for the public board.

Weather could have been one factor," he said. We plan to reconnect with our school administrators to learn if there were barriers for those who received the message and didn't attend."

Kate McCullough is a Hamilton-based reporter covering education at The Spectator. Her work is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Reach her via email: kmccullough@thespec.com