Coronavirus: Limavady schools involved in rapid testing scheme

Two County Londonderry secondary schools are participating in a mass rapid Covid-19 testing scheme.

St Mary's Limavady and Limavady High School were selected as part of a UK-wide programme, which was announced in October.

The scheme was launched on Monday and was offered to all staff and students in years 12,13 and 14 in both schools.

Limavady High School principal Darren Mornin says the Covid-19 tests will be "entirely voluntary".

But he said he was very pleased with the high numbers of pupils and staff who were willing to take part.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, Mr Mornin said he was approached in November to see if the school would like to be involved in the scheme.

Due to the school's collaborative work with St Mary's, he suggested that they also be involved, which they agreed to.

The tests are supervised and administered by trained staff at both schools, with over 160 staff and pupils at Limavady High being involved in the scheme.

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"We are looking for the asymptomatic pupils who may be in and around school, who have no symptoms at all but may be carrying the virus." said Mr Mornin.

"More importantly, it also has the bubble testing initiative within that, where we are identifying close-contacts who may have to self-isolate for 14 days so that will give us the ability to offer the test on a daily basis over those 14 days.

"That means when they show up a negative test they will be able to go to class and it promotes face-to-face teaching rather than remote learning."

St Mary's Limavady is also involved in the testing programme

Education Minister Peter Weir said that the programme would cause "minimal disruption to lessons".

In a statement on Monday, he said pupils would be tested on a voluntary basis.

"Along with the other measures schools and colleges are taking, it is hoped that these tests will help reduce the risk of people without symptoms transmitting the virus," said Mr Weir.

"Positive cases of the virus could be identified which may otherwise have been missed."