Self-tests for secondary school students.

Self-tests for secondary school students.

There are self-tests available for students in secondary (special) education, with which they can test themselves preventively for the coronavirus. The testing is voluntary and may never be a condition for students to participate in education. This was announced by the Ministry of OCW on Tuesday afternoon.

Students can test themselves twice a week at home. The preventive use of the self-test for students comes in addition to the risk-based tests that started in April. The first schools will receive the extra tests on May 17. The plan is to deliver them to all secondary schools within two weeks.

Use

The self-test is preventive. The test is explicitly not intended for students who:

• Have symptoms;
• Are in quarantine because they have been in contact with an infectious person;
• Come from abroad (orange or red risk area);
• Have received a notification from the corona alert app.

In all these cases, the student gets tested at a GGD location.

Continuity of education

The idea is that preventive testing helps the continuity of education. Infections can be detected at an early stage. Namely, when there are no symptoms yet. This lowers the chance of a mandatory quarantine, causing lessons to be canceled.

More information

The ministry developed an infographic explaining how to use self-tests in secondary education. Do you have questions? Call our advice point on weekdays at 088-6050101 or send an email to vraag@oudersenonderwijs.nl.