October 4, 2021
Dear Families,
We hope this letter finds you feeling well and enjoying the start of the fall season with your family!
This letter is to remind you that West Genesee is currently offering group (also known as pool) COVID-19 testing, for asymptomatic students and staff on a weekly basis. The test being used is the Clarifi COVID-19 Saliva Test. This is a non-invasive saliva swab test, performed by your child, with direction provided by their school nurse. Your child’s test tube sample will be submitted as part of a group, or pooled sample of up to 12 individual tests. This test has been extremely well received by all of the participants!
The testing occurs every Thursday, the timing of which is ideal. Typically, the group test results are available 24 hours later (late in the day on Friday). You will be notified by email that your child’s pooled result is either “presumed negative”, indicating all samples in the pool were negative, or “presumed positive” indicating at least one of the samples in the pool was positive.
If the result is “presumed positive”, then each individual sample in the group will automatically be tested. This is referred to as “reflex testing”. Approximately 24 hours later, you will receive a second email letting you know that your child’s individual test is negative or positive. This result will be reported as either “reflex negative” or “reflex positive”. It has been our experience, that all final results become known over the weekend. Therefore, your child will not need to miss school days, unless their individual test result is positive.
If you would like to participate, please register your child with the county selected vendor “Quadrant Laboratories, LLC” which can be found here or by using the link: app.Clarifi-COVID-19.com. You will be asked to create a profile for each child. While insurance information is requested, the testing is offered at no charge, due to funds made available through the Family Cares Act.
We encourage you to take advantage of this testing opportunity. If your child is not showing symptoms, yet tests positive for COVID-19, you then have the advantage of promptly beginning their period of isolation at home. This will lessen the spread of the virus to their classmates, friends, and family members, some of whom may be more vulnerable.
As always, we ask that you please keep your child at home and contact your school nurse when they are showing any signs of illness. Know that we are grateful for your continued support, as we strive to keep your child safe and provide for the safety of all the students. We are truly, stronger together in this effort.
Be Well!