BASD opens in-school COVID testing site

Emilee Wegner

This photo shows the entrance door for the COVID testing site.

Emilee Wegner, Reporter

Staff, students, and their families are able to get COVID tested for the rest of this school year at school. The testing site is located in the middle school to ensure safety. Director of Health Services Terri Mauel, explains how this is possible.

 “This is possible through American Rescue Plan Federal Money that is administered through the Department of Health of Wisconsin which subcontracts to NOAH Clinical Lab who provides us with testing supplies and an employee to do the testing,” Mauel said.

The nurse who is doing the COVID tests in the school, Cat Emmrich, explains what people need to do prior to being tested.

“Parents must pre-register for anyone being tested through the Berlin K-12 website. Following registration call and schedule an appointment,” Emmrich said. 

This testing site helps students get tested and get results to get back to their normal school life quickly. 

“If a person is worried about exposure and does not have symptoms, a negative rapid test reassures them that they may return to school/work,” Mauel said. “If they are symptomatic and are positive, then they know to go home and isolate themselves from others and protect others from getting SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Testing helps stop the spread of COVID and helps us keep the school open for in-person learning.”

Mauel explains the differences between the two tests offered. 

“The Rapid Antigen Tests detect protein fragments specific to the COVID-19 virus. The other test is a type of molecular test, the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) Test. This provides more accurate results than rapid tests because it uses the polymerase chain reaction to identify the viral genetic material of COVID-19,” Mauel said.

The testing site is open from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM on school days, for students, students’ families, and staff members.