RATs making their way through Leongatha Primary

LEONGATHA Primary School wasted no time distributing rapid antigen testing kits to its community after receiving them on Tuesday, February 1.
By the following afternoon, over 700 boxes containing five RATs each had gone out to students and staff.
“It’s been a fabulous uptake from parents and the (school) community,” assistant principal Paris Buckley said.
Parents had the choice of visiting the school office during designated times to collect the tests, or authorising the school to send them home with the family’s eldest student.
An organised approach was taken to ensure all staff and students received the tests needed for the next two weeks.
Families with multiple children at the school were given a box of RATs per child.
Leongatha Primary School recommends its students undergo a test each Monday and Wednesday morning before attending school.
As well as regular testing, the school continues to focus on preventative measures to minimise the risk of Covid infections.
Over 30 air purifiers have recently been installed across the school, with other precautions such as masks, and social distancing where possible.
Most of the school’s staff have had their booster shot or are set to do so shortly.
Grade 1 student Ava Reed was less than enthusiastic about the prospect of twice weekly testing after she and her dad Stephen collected their first box of RATs from the school office.
“I’m not doing it,” was her understandable initial response.
However, her father believes regular Covid testing of students is important for the health of the broader community.
“We’ve got to do our part for vulnerable people,” Mr Reed said.