The Orange County school district will get 1,000 rapid tests and the machines that read them next week and will be able to refill that order as needed, Orange County Health director Raul Pino said Tuesday.
During a media briefing, Pino said only symptomatic teachers and students will get tested as there are limited supplies.
“We may test those people who are having symptoms with rapid testing to be able to make a quick determination, ‘OK, it’s COVID-19. Let’s close the school’. So that’s the type of dynamics,” he said. It’s very fluid. And again, each situation will require a differing approach.”
Brick-and-mortar schools in the district reopened Aug. 21. The district said 117 students and staff have been ordered to quarantine so far.
In other areas of the county with the potential for outbreaks, there have been no coronavirus cases traced to Disney World or other theme parks, Pino said. This could be because they’re operating at 50 percent capacity or less, he said.
“It may have to do a lot, well the parks are taking great measures and they have gone to great lengths to be able to open and to prevent the transmission, but it’s also the whole thing of an open space. I think is what’s making the difference,” he said.
Pino said he’s not noticed a significant rise in coronavirus cases since the University of Central Florida reopened campus on Monday. The health department has hired 10 UCF students to help with contact tracing.
