Updated NMPED Toolkit and new Test to Stay/Play Protocol
From Page 5 of the Nov 1 Toolkit:
"Students and staff participating in test to stay may ride school transportation and participate in instructional activities at school. They may also participate in extracurricular activities, including athletics. Test to stay is only available to those individuals who are exposed to COVID-19 in the school setting. Anyone with exposure to COVID-19 in the household setting is explicitly prohibited from participating in test to stay.
To participate in test to stay requires an individual to test negative on rapid COVID-19 tests on days one, three, and five following exposure (day zero is the day of exposure). A school may require individuals test more frequently than the required three tests. When there is a delay in being notified of exposure, the testing sequence begins on the first day in which a school is notified of the exposure and the individual is in attendance. When a testing day falls on a day that schools are not in session, or a day that a student is absent, the testing sequence resumes on the subsequent school day. Failure to test (regardless of the reason) when the individual is at school on a required testing day terminates test to stay for the individual and a return to quarantine at home for the duration of the quarantine period is required.
In the case that an individual participating in test to stay has a second close contact exposure while on modified quarantine, the testing sequence must be restarted for the most recent close contact.
If an individual on test to stay exhibits COVID-19 symptoms requiring self-isolation, then modified quarantine is terminated and the individual must self-isolate at home pending confirmation of a negative test for COVID-19 and ideally, an alternative explanation for the symptoms. If COVID-19 is confirmed, then self-isolation continues for 10 days following the day that symptoms began.
All schools are required to participate in test to stay programs to help ensure more students may continue in-person learning. Schools without current capacity to provide regular rapid COVID-19 testing at school should pursue funding and testing opportunities available through the Department of Health’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) grant in an effort to successfully implement test to stay programs. Additional information, including registration instructions for the ELC grant, may be found at Home – NM Schools COVID Testing. Tests are provided at no cost to schools, and funding through the grant opportunity may be utilized to hire support staff, or pay stipends to existing staff, for administration of the test to stay program.
Test to stay does not change self-isolation requirements for those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are within the infectious period."
Testing Consent Form - English
Testing Consent Form - Spanish