Pre-primary to Grade 6 students can soon get free take-home COVID-19 test kits

The kits include four nose swab rapid tests along with instructions on how to use them

HALIFAXtoday\ Meghan Groff

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Students who are too young to be eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine will soon be able to take home free rapid testing kits.

It’s part of a pilot program called Test to Protect Kids.

The kits include four nose swab rapid tests along with instructions on how to use them.

They can be used by anyone aged 3 and up with mild COVID-19 symptoms.

Because rapid tests are not considered to be as accurate as PCR tests, if the results are negative, another test needs to be done 48 hours later. If it’s positive, a PCR test needs to be booked to confirm the results.

Over 1,000 volunteers have put together 80,000 rapid test kits for the program.

Parents and guardians of kids in pre-primary to Grade 6 will get more information next week.