Are Teachers Mandated to Get Tested?

Do teachers have to take a test to return to school? Reports reaching News Five are that teachers have been returning to classrooms without having done any test to confirm a negative COVID status.  This has some parents frightened and upset, as children under the age of twelve are not vaccinated and could possibly be infected. But as we found out, the recently passed S.I. which adjusts the quarantine period does allow teachers to return without a test.

Dian Maheia

Dian Maheia, C.E.O., Ministry of Education

“We really need to be mindful of what the Ministry of Health and Wellness is saying right now because it might not be practical or prudent to have everyone – especially when you are going through a spike as we are – it is not practical or prudent to have every person who is now recovering or has recovered from COVID take a test and get a negative result to return. So that’s why we’ve been trying to share guidelines. We’ve been trying to work with the Ministry of Health and Wellness so the information they send to us, we try to put forward for reminders for school support for parents, teachers everyone. So the guidelines would say what the direction is. If you have COVID, ten days have passed and you are no longer symptomatic, you should be able to return to work. You do not necessarily need a negative test. If you continue to have symptoms then my understanding is then you need to test because there are a few people who are persistent positives. But for the most part, after ten days, I think the nature of the omicron variant is that it is more transmissible, but it also has a shorter life. You know we get scared, we get nervous, but we need to continue to live in a way that is safe and responsible. Fear cannot make us irresponsible – whether we’re a parent or a teacher or a reporter, it doesn’t matter. We need to be safe and responsible.”