BUFFALO (WBEN) - Earlier this week, New York State released a memo allowing local health departments to decide whether school districts in their jurisdiction can use "test to stay" strategies.
Per the memo: "At this time, the NYSDOH does not recommend TTS. However, (local health departments) choose to allow TTS to occur in schools within their jurisdiction, NYSDOH encourages them to ensure the following:
-The school/district must have a written protocol that: (A) Considers equity (i.e., families should not have to pay for testing, or if they do, then the inability to pay should not prevent a student from being eligible for TTS), (B) includes actions to follow-up on transmission (e.g., contact tracing) in the event that an individual tests positive, and (C) other factors deemed essential or important by the LHD or school.
-The daily test must be conducted and the results received before the school day begins, and positive individuals excluded/isolated per existing procedures.
-If the test is done in an unmonitored setting (e.g., home), a mechanism to ensure that the test is done correctly and on the correct person must exist.
-The exposed person who is allowed to remain in school through TTS must still be quarantined outside of school instruction/academic periods (on weekends/holidays when the seven-day TTS period is still active, but no school test is required; after school/evenings; no community activities or extracurricular participation including clubs, sports, arts/performance activities, etc.).
"For now, I don't want people to think that test to stay is the reality, because it's not recommended by New York State," said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz Wednesday, as the county would also have to clear the plan to allow local districts to take part.
Under test to stay, students that are deemed close contacts would be given a rapid test every day for seven days, and as long as they continue to test negative, they're allowed to go to school.
Currently, unvaccinated students who are deemed close contacts must quarantine for 10 days, but some are pushing for test to stay as a way to keep healthy kids in the classroom.
"I think some states have done that, and it's proven to be effective," said Dr. Stephen Turkovich, chief medical officer at Oishei Children's Hospital. "It's just another tool that we have to, number one, help kids stay in school, and if we use all the other tools that we've been talking about - getting kids vaccinated, masking, washing their hands, staying home if you feel sick - this is another thing that we can do to help get kids back to school quicker."
Tarja Parssinen of the WNY Education Alliance has been pushing for test to stay or similar programs for a while.
"It's very simple; it's very accurate, and it's much less disruptive than quarantine," said Parssinen.
However, there are those who aren't completely sold. Dr. Kathleen Grisanti serves as medical director of the Pediatric Urgent Care of Western New York, and she believes test to stay is a good concept, but she wants to see more data and evidence of its effectiveness before it's implemented.
When asked if she believes the current quarantine rules in schools are too stringent, Grisanti said the opposite is true.
"I think they are very sound in medical data," said Grisanti. "I have seen children develop symptoms and test positive on day 10, and so I don't think that it's too rigid. I think if you shorten the quarantine, it may definitely place more children at risk."
