Antigen tests use a quick analysis to detect active virus in individuals, returning results within 15 minutes. In schools, antigen tests can be used on-site, sometimes referred to as “point-of-care” for the entire asymptomatic population without known exposure to detect previously unidentified positive individuals. If an individual does test positive, the school can quickly isolate that person, quarantine close contacts, and thereby reduce the risk of viral transmission. In a school setting, antigen testing is used more as a screening tool to identify potentially positive individuals, not as a diagnostic tool as it might be used in healthcare settings.

Modeling studies have demonstrated that point-of-care or self-administered surveillance tests with fast turnaround time or frequent testing have high epidemiological value and can significantly mitigate transmission of cases in schools. These high-frequency tests of asymptomatic populations hold significant promise in stopping the spread of disease. For more information on antigen testing, please see: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/resources/antigen-tests-guidelines.html.