pooled testing information and faq's
Parents/Guardians: After reading the information about Pooled Testing, please complete this quick survey (here). Thank you!
Q: What is pooled testing?
A: Pooled Testing involves collecting one COVID test on multiple (ie classroom or cohort) samples. Students swab themselves or are swabbed by trained staff, once a week, and place their individual swabs in one tube or container. The samples are sent out to a lab and results are expected within 24-48 hours. Students, regardless of age, could swab themselves. Teachers, or other school personnel, would support students with the process as far as blocking out time for testing, follow up, and assisting with ongoing organization. School personnel would be following up on any positive cases and communicating with families.
If the result is NEGATIVE, we can be confident that there are no students in the group positive for COVID-19 at that time of testing. Learning continues uninterrupted and testing is repeated according to the weekly schedule.
If the result is POSITIVE, we know that at least one person in the group is positive for COVID-19. All participating students in the cohort/classroom will be tested using the BinaxNow antigen (rapid) test as soon as possible after receipt of the positive pool result. This test will be administered at school, by school personnel, and typically would happen by 48 hours after the pooled test. Participants who test positive will need to isolate per CDC guidelines. If there are any students in the cohort/classroom who are not participating in pooled testing and are identified as close contacts, they WILL need to quarantine per the Maine Department of Education and CDC protocols.
See the flow chart below:
A: Pooled Testing involves collecting one COVID test on multiple (ie classroom or cohort) samples. Students swab themselves or are swabbed by trained staff, once a week, and place their individual swabs in one tube or container. The samples are sent out to a lab and results are expected within 24-48 hours. Students, regardless of age, could swab themselves. Teachers, or other school personnel, would support students with the process as far as blocking out time for testing, follow up, and assisting with ongoing organization. School personnel would be following up on any positive cases and communicating with families.
If the result is NEGATIVE, we can be confident that there are no students in the group positive for COVID-19 at that time of testing. Learning continues uninterrupted and testing is repeated according to the weekly schedule.
If the result is POSITIVE, we know that at least one person in the group is positive for COVID-19. All participating students in the cohort/classroom will be tested using the BinaxNow antigen (rapid) test as soon as possible after receipt of the positive pool result. This test will be administered at school, by school personnel, and typically would happen by 48 hours after the pooled test. Participants who test positive will need to isolate per CDC guidelines. If there are any students in the cohort/classroom who are not participating in pooled testing and are identified as close contacts, they WILL need to quarantine per the Maine Department of Education and CDC protocols.
See the flow chart below:
Q: Why is the school department considering or actively participating in pooled testing?
A: Pooled testing is one mitigation strategy the school can use to quickly and efficiently identify COVID cases within the building while helping to keep students learning in person.
A: Pooled testing is one mitigation strategy the school can use to quickly and efficiently identify COVID cases within the building while helping to keep students learning in person.
Q: Are staff and students required to participate in pooled testing?
A: No. Participation in pooled testing is voluntary, however those not participating in the program who are identified as close contacts will need to quarantine and be out of school for that period of time.
Q: Do families need to complete consent forms each week a pooled test is conducted?
A: No. Staff and parent/guardian consent forms only need to be completed once a year for participation in the program. These forms must provide consent to participate in pooled testing consent for any necessary follow up tests, including administering and reporting Abbott BinaxNOW tests.
Q: If interested, should my student participate even if fully vaccinated?
A: Yes, there is always the possibility of breakthrough infections.
Q: Can my student participate if they have had COVID?
A: Yes, if the COVID infection was more than 90 days ago.
Q: What does it cost the school to participate in pooled testing?
A: The State provides funding which will cover pooled testing processing services (e.g., test kits), transportation (e.g., courier and shipping costs), and additional logistical supports (e.g., specimen collection and site administration).
Q: If school staff are administering testing, how will training be conducted?
A: The Pooled Testing Provider will provide training to staff to administer tests as well as how to observe sample collection. This training will also include information on how to track samples in each pool, use the software, and deliver samples to the laboratory.
Q: Can tests be given at home?
A: At this time, the pooled testing options associated with this initiative cannot be conducted at home. Pooled tests should occur in school and be administered or supervised by trained staff.
Q: Do students and staff need to quarantine until the pool test results are returned?
Pooled testing provides surveillance testing capabilities to schools, meaning that students and staff participating in the pooled PCR testing program do not have to quarantine if they have been identified as a close contact. These individuals should remain in school and continue to participate in the weekly pooled PCR testing program. However, any unvaccinated student or staff member not participating in pooled PCR testing Program or unwilling to get follow-up BinaxNOW testing as part of a positive pool and identified as a close contact of a confirmed case will need to quarantine for 10 days.
Q: Do individuals in a positive pool need to quarantine while they are waiting for individual-level results to return?
A: No. Students who are part of a positive pool do not need to quarantine while they await their follow- up test results, unless they are symptomatic. It is possible that individuals that had COVID-19 (knowingly or unknowingly) but are no longer contagious will cause some pooled tests to come back positive, and every test has a chance of false positives. Symptomatic students should not attend school and follow the school’s procedure. If not symptomatic, individuals in a positive pool will return to school for follow-up testing. Individuals who receive positive follow-up individual test results will need to be isolated and be sent home to quarantine per CDC guidelines.
Q: What are the options if BinaxNOW tests for positive pool members are all negative?
A: All negative BinaxNOW tests likely indicate an individual of lower viral load that is less likely to be infectious. If this occurs, schools will conduct a second BinaxNOW test on all individuals
no sooner than the next day, but within 2 days. If those tests are all negative, then the school would proceed with the next round of scheduled pooled PCR testing.
Q: Should household members of individuals in a positive pool be considered “possibly exposed” while waiting for follow-up testing to be completed?
A: No. Members of a positive pool do not have to quarantine prior to receiving the results of their follow-up tests, unless they are symptomatic. Similarly, household contacts of individuals in a positive pool do not need to quarantine, unless the individual is confirmed to have COVID-19 through follow-up testing.
Q: For a COVID-19 positive individual, should the pooled test or follow-up test be used to determine the start of the infectious period?
A: If an asymptomatic individual tests positive for COVID-19, the infectious period is considered to begin 2 days prior to the collection of their positive test. The date of the pooled test should be used to determine the infectious period.
Q: What if a pool comes back with an “Unusable” or “Indeterminate” result?
A: An “Invalid” result could mean several different things, ranging from collection errors (e.g. swabs inserted upside-down) to a one-time error at the laboratory. An “Inconclusive” result means that there was an extremely small amount of virus detected by one of the probes at the laboratory but not enough to consider the pool positive. An “unusable” result means that the sample could not be tested because of a broken tube, inverted swab, or not within the 5-25 swab range. DHHS recommends re- testing as soon as possible in either case - either by re-pooling immediately or by follow up testing the members of the pool individually.
Q: Is the Abbott BinaxNOW accurate enough to be used as a follow up to the pooled test, especially for asymptomatic children?
A: Yes. The Maine Center for Disease Control (ME CDC) endorses its use in follow-up testing. No test is 100% accurate. BinaxNOW tests are effective at picking up those individuals with high viral loads (assumed to be most infectious) and are adequate for this purpose. Anyone who develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should get tested, even if they have recently received a negative result.
Q: How has the state reviewed the laboratories used in the Pooled Testing Program?
A: All laboratories allowed to process samples under the state-contracted Pooled Testing Providers have undergone a technical review of their pooling strategy and supplementary data by the ME CDC, DHHS, and DOE.
Q: How will the school protect my child’s privacy?
A: Testing results will be shared only for public health purposes, which may include notifying close contacts that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 and taking other steps to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in your school community. Information sharing and notifying of contacts will be done in a way that protects your child’s privacy. Sharing of information about your child will only be done in accordance with applicable law and policies protecting student privacy and the security of your child’s data.
A: No. Participation in pooled testing is voluntary, however those not participating in the program who are identified as close contacts will need to quarantine and be out of school for that period of time.
Q: Do families need to complete consent forms each week a pooled test is conducted?
A: No. Staff and parent/guardian consent forms only need to be completed once a year for participation in the program. These forms must provide consent to participate in pooled testing consent for any necessary follow up tests, including administering and reporting Abbott BinaxNOW tests.
Q: If interested, should my student participate even if fully vaccinated?
A: Yes, there is always the possibility of breakthrough infections.
Q: Can my student participate if they have had COVID?
A: Yes, if the COVID infection was more than 90 days ago.
Q: What does it cost the school to participate in pooled testing?
A: The State provides funding which will cover pooled testing processing services (e.g., test kits), transportation (e.g., courier and shipping costs), and additional logistical supports (e.g., specimen collection and site administration).
Q: If school staff are administering testing, how will training be conducted?
A: The Pooled Testing Provider will provide training to staff to administer tests as well as how to observe sample collection. This training will also include information on how to track samples in each pool, use the software, and deliver samples to the laboratory.
Q: Can tests be given at home?
A: At this time, the pooled testing options associated with this initiative cannot be conducted at home. Pooled tests should occur in school and be administered or supervised by trained staff.
Q: Do students and staff need to quarantine until the pool test results are returned?
Pooled testing provides surveillance testing capabilities to schools, meaning that students and staff participating in the pooled PCR testing program do not have to quarantine if they have been identified as a close contact. These individuals should remain in school and continue to participate in the weekly pooled PCR testing program. However, any unvaccinated student or staff member not participating in pooled PCR testing Program or unwilling to get follow-up BinaxNOW testing as part of a positive pool and identified as a close contact of a confirmed case will need to quarantine for 10 days.
Q: Do individuals in a positive pool need to quarantine while they are waiting for individual-level results to return?
A: No. Students who are part of a positive pool do not need to quarantine while they await their follow- up test results, unless they are symptomatic. It is possible that individuals that had COVID-19 (knowingly or unknowingly) but are no longer contagious will cause some pooled tests to come back positive, and every test has a chance of false positives. Symptomatic students should not attend school and follow the school’s procedure. If not symptomatic, individuals in a positive pool will return to school for follow-up testing. Individuals who receive positive follow-up individual test results will need to be isolated and be sent home to quarantine per CDC guidelines.
Q: What are the options if BinaxNOW tests for positive pool members are all negative?
A: All negative BinaxNOW tests likely indicate an individual of lower viral load that is less likely to be infectious. If this occurs, schools will conduct a second BinaxNOW test on all individuals
no sooner than the next day, but within 2 days. If those tests are all negative, then the school would proceed with the next round of scheduled pooled PCR testing.
Q: Should household members of individuals in a positive pool be considered “possibly exposed” while waiting for follow-up testing to be completed?
A: No. Members of a positive pool do not have to quarantine prior to receiving the results of their follow-up tests, unless they are symptomatic. Similarly, household contacts of individuals in a positive pool do not need to quarantine, unless the individual is confirmed to have COVID-19 through follow-up testing.
Q: For a COVID-19 positive individual, should the pooled test or follow-up test be used to determine the start of the infectious period?
A: If an asymptomatic individual tests positive for COVID-19, the infectious period is considered to begin 2 days prior to the collection of their positive test. The date of the pooled test should be used to determine the infectious period.
Q: What if a pool comes back with an “Unusable” or “Indeterminate” result?
A: An “Invalid” result could mean several different things, ranging from collection errors (e.g. swabs inserted upside-down) to a one-time error at the laboratory. An “Inconclusive” result means that there was an extremely small amount of virus detected by one of the probes at the laboratory but not enough to consider the pool positive. An “unusable” result means that the sample could not be tested because of a broken tube, inverted swab, or not within the 5-25 swab range. DHHS recommends re- testing as soon as possible in either case - either by re-pooling immediately or by follow up testing the members of the pool individually.
Q: Is the Abbott BinaxNOW accurate enough to be used as a follow up to the pooled test, especially for asymptomatic children?
A: Yes. The Maine Center for Disease Control (ME CDC) endorses its use in follow-up testing. No test is 100% accurate. BinaxNOW tests are effective at picking up those individuals with high viral loads (assumed to be most infectious) and are adequate for this purpose. Anyone who develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should get tested, even if they have recently received a negative result.
Q: How has the state reviewed the laboratories used in the Pooled Testing Program?
A: All laboratories allowed to process samples under the state-contracted Pooled Testing Providers have undergone a technical review of their pooling strategy and supplementary data by the ME CDC, DHHS, and DOE.
Q: How will the school protect my child’s privacy?
A: Testing results will be shared only for public health purposes, which may include notifying close contacts that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 and taking other steps to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in your school community. Information sharing and notifying of contacts will be done in a way that protects your child’s privacy. Sharing of information about your child will only be done in accordance with applicable law and policies protecting student privacy and the security of your child’s data.