Medical group calls for Texas schools to increase rapid testing

The Texas Medical Association is recommending more testing of staff and students in schools to head off the latest spike in COVID-19 infections. Good Day talks to Dr. Jason Terk, a pediatrician in Keller who is on the task force that made that recommendation.

DALLAS - A group of doctors is urging school districts across the state to step up COVID-19 testing to quickly catch infections among students and staff.

The Texas Medical Association believes schools should use rapid antigen tests to screen students and staff for COVID-19.

Results from the antigen test can come back in minutes. But, there are some concerns about the accuracy of those tests.

“The role of these tests, the rapid antigen tests in schools, is to pick up kids who may be asymptomatic that are being screened,” said Dr. Jason Terk.

Dr. Kerk is a pediatrician in Keller who is on the task force that made the recommendation.

“While children don’t typically get as sick as severely as adults most of the time, they are probably important in the spread of the disease. So picking up positive infections that may be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic is gonna be very important,” he said.

The doctors also recommend school safety measures including social distancing, wearing masks, staying home when sick and frequent handwashing and disinfecting.