Take-home COVID-19 tests will soon be available at all public schools across the province.

In addition, Education Minister Stephen Lecce says rather than making vaccines mandatory for staff, they must get tested more often.

“We are taking nothing for granted which is why we have elevated the requirement on those unvaccinated staff or staff who’ve yet to attest that in order to enter our schools, they must complete three rapid tests that are negative in order to enter our schools.”

These tests have already been available in schools in Toronto and Ottawa as part of a pilot project and SickKids hospital CEO Dr. Ronald Cohn says they are game changers.

“At SickKids we have administered over 80,000 of these test kits to to more than 640 schools across the GTA since the return to school and from our own experience, we have seen how accessible lower barrier testing is crucial to keeping students in school.”

If a student develops symptoms or has close contact to a positive case, a family member can pick up the test at school and it can be dropped off at a community location for processing.

The tests will be available in mid November.