- Ashland Public Schools
- COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19 Testing
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We strongly encourage all students and staff to get tested if they have symptoms, regardless of vaccination status. Symptoms may include a new onset cough, scratchy throat, sneezing, runny nose or congestion, muscle aches, tiredness, fever, or a new loss of taste or smell.
If a student or employee develops any symptoms, they should stay home from school and get tested for COVID-19.
Low or no-cost COVID-19 tests are available:
- Find an appointment-only or a walk-in location anywhere across the Commonwealth at mass.gov/GetTested.
- Self-tests can be purchased online or in pharmacies and retail stores. If you have health insurance through an employer or Marketplace, your insurance will pay you back for 8 at-home tests each month for each person on your plan. Visit covid.gov/tests for the latest information.
- Contact your healthcare provider for testing options.
- Free test kits may be available throughout the school year in each school's main office.
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What should students or employees who test positive do?
Children and staff who test positive must isolate for at least five full days. To count days for isolation, Day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the day the positive test was taken, whichever is earlier.
If individuals do not have symptoms or symptoms are resolving, and they have been fever free without the use of fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours, they may return to school on Day 6 and must wear a high-quality mask through Day 10.
Please notify the school nurse of a positive test result.
Retesting is not required to return to school.