Coronavirus Testing For Ossining Students Wednesday

OSSINING, NY — Ossining students may get coronavirus tests Wednesday as Ossining school officials consider whether the district can reopen now that the state has designated most of the district as a yellow zone.

The district has partnered with the Open Door School Based Health Center at Ossining High School to offer COVID testing on Wednesday for students from all Ossining schools.

It is by appointment only. Enrollment in the School Based Health Center program is required. If your child is not yet enrolled, please complete the consent form by clicking here.

Call 914-923-4740 for a test appointment.

Ossining received yellow zone status as its test positivity rate soared above the state's, which is just under 3 percent. Ossining's coronavirus rate averaged 10.11 percent over the seven days ending Nov. 22, state health officials said.

Schools in yellow zones must conduct random testing on 20 percent of their in-person students and staff population over a two-week period immediately following the designation, which was made Thursday.

School districts can cease testing if the test results show that the positivity rate among the 20 percent of those tested is lower than the yellow zone’s current seven-day positivity rate. The district must continue testing on a bi-weekly basis if the test results from the first two-week period show that the positivity rate is higher than the yellow zone’s then current seven-day positivity rate.

The Department of Health has mandated that the testing be offered at no cost to students, faculty and staff.

Open Door collects specimens for COVID-19 testing with a mid-nasal (nose) swab. The visit takes about 15 minutes, with the actual swabbing taking less than a minute. The swab is sent to a laboratory, which runs a PCR/molecular test to determine if the patient has COVID-19. Results are typically received in 3-5 days.

"I want families to be aware that we are still working on finalizing our plans with the Department of Health to offer the rapid test for interested families," said Superintendent Raymond Sanchez in a message to the community. "I anticipate more details for families at the end of the week."

A school district in a yellow zone can decide to conduct 100 percent remote learning for all students in lieu of testing. However, if the school district chooses to continue to run any in-person instruction (special education classes, direct special education related services, ELL classes, etc.), 20 percent of those present must be tested.

If the school district is designated as an “Orange zone” or “Red zone”, the school district is mandated to close in-person instruction in the affected school(s) for at least two weeks.