Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Davenport High School history teacher Matt Henry administers a rapid COVID-19 test to himself Jan. 19. The district is one of 12 statewide participating in a rapid testing program.
DAVENPORT-The school district here is one of 12 districts statewide participating in a COVID-19 rapid testing pilot program, where staff members voluntarily test themselves using a swab and receive results within 24 hours of the swabs arriving at a lab.
The process involves a few coughs and the ability to summon saliva.
"Our district is one of 12 school districts that have been recently selected by the Washington State Department of Health to participate in a state-funded COVID-19 school based voluntary testing pilot," superintendent Jim Kowalkowski said. "Some of the other districts are Bellingham, Yakima, Spokane, Highline and Enumclaw."
The district began the tests, which are being funded in part by the Gates Foundation, the week of Jan. 4.
Volunteer staff members get tested every two weeks. They arrive inside the high school auditorium, wearing masks, and sit down at a desk spaced six feet apart from the nearest desk. They then take the swab, cough into their elbow three times and swirl their saliva within their mouth to prepare.
The user then inserts the swab into their mouth and swirls and swishes it around for 20 seconds. It is then placed into a vial and sealed in a plastic bag.
"We have been informed that these oral swab tests are as reliable as the PCR nose swab tests," Kowalkowski said.
Volunteers are not required to have medical insurance, though insurance information is requested. There are no out-of-pocket or co-pay fees for participants.
"Students (and staff members) who are experiencing possible symptoms of COVID19 can also be tested," Kowalkowski said. "If a staff member is participating in the 'every two weeks' program but is experiencing symptoms in between tests, he/she can take another test right away."
Tests are then sent overnight via UPS to labs around the country, including California. Results aren't sent to Lincoln Hospital or to Lincoln County Department of Health, despite proximity, per the state program's guidelines. However, results are still received quickly after arriving at labs.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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