Staff working directly with students will be able to book appointments for rapid tests at a new testing centre called Fast Pass.

The first Fast Pass site will be located on Nairn Avenue in Winnipeg and will initially be open to staff at the Winnipeg, Seven Oaks, River East Transcona, Seine River, and Hanover school divisions.

The province says that the site is expected to allow staff from other divisions at some point in February.

“Offering a dedicated testing stream to people working in schools will allow us to quickly identify any cases of COVID-19, enabling faster contact tracing and helping us to reduce spread in our schools and community,” said Health and Seniors Care Minister Heather Stefanson.

Teachers and other staff working directly with students including bus drivers and custodians are eligible to make appointments at the Fast Pass testing site. Staffing working in school based child care facilities are also eligible.

“The Fast Pass program will help keep our schools safe by ensuring faster notifications of positive cases and giving our school staff the confidence that they are COVID-19 free when they return to work,” said Education Minister Cliff Cullen.

Those seeking testing must be symptomatic and be identified as a close contact as a result of an exposure at school, or have a symptomatic household member. Identification and proof of employer is required at the time of the appointment.

Fast Pass appointments must be made in advance by calling the general appointment line at 1-(855)-268-4318.

The province says that during the first week of testing only 20 to 40 people will be tested each day and that will ramp up to 80 by the second week. Eventually the hope is to be able to provide up to 160 rapid tests per day.

The site is slated to use the Songbird Hyris bCUBE rapid test and be operated by Dynacare.

© News4.ca 2021