If you are a parent in NSW with school children, you've no doubt sent them back to school this morning after sticking a RAT up their nose.
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Or perhaps you've had a rapid antigen test yourself if you're a teacher, preschool educator or school staff member.
As per a NSW government directive, all students and teachers are to conduct two rapid antigen tests (RAT) a week for at least the first four weeks of school to check for COVID-19.
If all comes back negative, you're free to go to school and enjoy catching up again with your classmates after the summer break.
A positive result? You must stay home, log the positive finding via Service NSW and inform your school that you will be extending that break by at least another week.
Schools across the Bega Valley have already distributed test kits to their families, provided at no charge by the state government.
Some RATs require you to collect a sample from your nasal passages, others will swab your mouth for some saliva.
Regardless of which type you have, the kits come with detailed instructions on how to administer the test to either yourself or to your children.
The nasal swabs may be met with a little more squeamishness from your children, so be prepared!
Be sure to follow the instructions carefully and accurately so as to get a valid test result.
Work on a clean surface with washed and sanitised hands. And you will need around 15 minutes for a valid result so perhaps the kids will have to get up earlier than normal - or dress for school a little quicker!
When determining your RAT result, on the indicator device there are two coloured lines to look for.
One is a C (the control). This tells you if the test is working properly. The other is a T (test) or Ag (antigen). And it's the combination of these that gives the result:
- if the C coloured line fails to show, the test is invalid. The test kit may have expired, or you didn't take the test correctly
- if the C coloured line shows and the T (or Ag) line does not, your result is negative (you're unlikely to have COVID-19)
- if both the C and T (or Ag) lines show up, your result is positive (you're likely to have COVID-19).
Ben Smyth
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
