School boards across Windsor-Essex are teaming up to roll out asymptomatic COVID-19 testing for in-person students and staff.
The Greater Essex County District School Board's (GECDSB) Sharon Pike says the voluntary clinic will be held at Windsor's Immaculate Conception Elementary School at 465 Victoria Ave. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
She tells The Afternoon News 11 schools near the testing clinic from all four boards have been identified for the clinic.
The schools include F.W. Begley, Giles Campus, Prince Edward, Dougall, Immaculate Conception, St. Angela, Centre de formation des adultes, St-Edmond, Mgr-Jean-Noël, Lamothe Cadillac, and Louise-Charron.
"We have targeted an area within Windsor-Essex based on data coming from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) in terms of the positivity rates for children and youth," she says.
The Superintendent of Education says the testing is available to more than just staff and students.
"It is open to students and children of the daycares associated with schools that have been chosen," says Pike.
She says Lifelabs will be providing PCR testing for the first week.
"We are going to be meeting with all four boards early next week to determine what week two is going to look like," she says. "We're also waiting to get confirmation that this vendor will be our vendor in the future."
Pike says notifications have been sent out to parents and staff at the schools chosen for the first round of testing.
The clinic is set-up for walk-ins using surnames to determine when testing will be available.
Walk-In Clinic Schedule for Saturday:
According to the board, consent will be required from parents or guardians of students under 18 years of age.