Over 700 sign up for Cape COVID-19 testing programs

Two weeks into the new COVID-19 testing programs held at Cape Henlopen School District, 740 students and staff have signed up for the initiative geared to keep them in school.

Cape Director of Instructional Support LouAnn Hudson said the daily test-to-stay and weekly testing programs began Jan. 17 through a partnership with Quidel Corporation and the State of Delaware.

The daily test-to-stay program provides testing for asymptomatic people who were exposed to someone with the virus and who would otherwise have to be quarantined. Provided they test negative daily, these individuals can return to school each day after testing.

Test-to-stay is offered from 4 to 7 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, currently at Cape High, but with plans to expand to Milton Elementary, Hudson said. Students and staff can also sign up and register for the weekly rapid antigen tests available at each school, Hudson said.

In addition to their daily duties and performing IEP, vision and orthopedic screenings, school nurses are the unsung heroes also responsible for documenting positive cases, contact tracing, and reporting to Delaware Department of Public Health, Hudson said.

According to the positive case dashboard detailed at capehenlopenschools.com, cases in the district have risen in conjunction with the rise of cases nationwide, and are now decreasing.

Daily positive case numbers at all district schools were either nonexistent or very low throughout the fall, with a slight increase beginning early in December through winter break. 

Cape schools were set to open as scheduled Jan. 3, but a snowstorm caused school closures Jan. 3-5 and Jan. 7. During this week, only two positive cases were reported in the district.

However, from Jan. 10-16, the district reported 101 positive cases. From Jan. 17-23, 121 positive cases were reported, and from Jan. 24-30, 77 positive cases were reported.

District officials note that the source of infection for positive cases can’t be attributed to schools, and it is unknown if they are the source of infection to others in the school.

To sign up or learn how to unenroll from the testing programs, go to capehenlopenschools.com and click on the COVID-19 tab.