Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and education minister Adriana LaGrange will provide an update Saturday at noon on the COVID-19 testing program in schools.
A month ago, the province announced a pilot program that would expand testing to target asymptomatic Albertans in a number of sectors including schools.
READ MORE: COVID-19: Alberta expands rapid testing to schools, oil and gas, meat-packing plants
Students at two Calgary schools were involved in the pilot rapid testing program. LaGrange said officials were hoping to learn if rapid testing is an effective way to manage outbreaks.
Tests, which were optional, were only for students and staff who aren’t experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. Students who wish to take part in the program must have a signed consent form from their legal guardian.
READ MORE: Rapid COVID-19 testing begins at Calgary school as part of pilot project
LaGrange said a “variety of factors” would go into selecting which schools would have the rapid tests as the pilot continued, including if the school had enough space for a testing team, its level of community spread and if there had been in-school transmission.
More than 100,000 kits were supposed to be made available during the pilot program.
— More to come
