COVID Safety Plan

Our Lady of Hope School is excited to partner with the Washington State Department of Health and Health Commons Project to offer free COVID-19 testing this year. This program provides students, staff, and families with quick and highly accurate COVID-19 testing as symptoms arise or following known exposure. At this time, we have the ability to administer a Rapid Test and soon we will have the capability to administer the PCR test.

Diagnostic testing is voluntary, free, painless, and private:

• Families voluntarily opt-in to testing 

• Testing is free; there is no out-of-pocket costs or co-pay for families or schools

• Samples are collected with a quick and painless shallow nasal swab (not the dreaded “brain tickler”) 

• All health information is kept private and protected

School-based testing for COVID-19 is a proven strategy for minimizing transmission of the disease and maximizing in-person learning time.  Our  COVID-19 testing program is one more way we are limiting the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and communities.

Testing is voluntary
Families opt-in to the testing program.

Access to community testing sites is variable, and in some areas, it is increasingly difficult to find a nearby testing site. While entirely voluntary, school-based testing shortens the length of time between sample collection and results while reducing the burden on families to arrange for a test.

Testing is free
There is no out-of-pocket cost or co-pay for schools or families.

Testing is painless
Samples can even be self-collected by the individual.

This is not the dreaded “brain tickler” or nasopharyngeal swab. The shallow nasal swab enters the nose to gentle resistance, about half-an-inch into each nostril, makes several rotations, and is placed, swab-side down, into a collection tube.

Testing is private
With regards to patient privacy, it’s no different than getting tested at your doctor’s office.

All health information for the participant is kept private and is protected under federal HIPAA regulations (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). 

Learn More About Testing
Families and students can visit the Learn to Return website to find out more about testing programs, vendors, and what to expect when getting a diagnostic test.

For Our Lady of Hope School's COVID Safety Plan, click here