Students and staff at Auckland's Marist Girls' College will be offered free COVID-19 testing in a bid to provide peace-of-mind for the wider school community.
The results of the initiative will also help to inform discussions on the school's re-opening date, which will continue this week. The Catholic, same-sex high school, located in Mount Albert, was deemed as one of New Zealand's significant COVID-19 clusters in March.
While only half of the 94 cases in the Marist cluster were directly associated with the college, "it is important that the wider school community is given the opportunity to be tested", the college said in a statement on Monday.
This week, students and staff will be given a voucher to undergo testing at any of the 14 community-based assessment centres (CBACs) currently operating across Auckland.
The School Board, the Ministry of Education, the metro Auckland District Health Boards and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) have agreed to support the Marist College community with this initiative.
"We believe there is a very low likelihood of new cases being detected, but it is important that we take every precaution so that the school community can have confidence about the way forward," ARPHS director Dr William Rainger said in a statement.
"This round of testing will help give students, parents and school staff reassurance and inform planning for the re-opening of the College. When that moment arrives, the College can be confident that there is no higher risk of a student or staff member being infectious at Marist College than at any other school in New Zealand."
Principal Raechelle Taulu, who also contracted the virus, said ensuring a safe school environment and providing peace-of-mind for students, parents and staff is the college's top priority.
"Testing is voluntary but we strongly encourage everyone at our school to be tested for COVID-19, regardless of whether they have any symptoms or have been tested before. Testing all staff and students will give them extra confidence that when we do open the school gates, every precaution has been taken to protect their safety," she said.
The College has been professionally cleaned and discussions are to continue this week between the School Board and health and education authorities to determine a date for reopening. Meanwhile, online learning will continue for all students during alert level 3.
In an interview with Newshub Nation last month, Taulu said the school's young women were "strong and resilient" in the face of the health crisis.
She is eagerly awaiting the school's reopening.
"I'm going to be so happy to say that they are really the reason why we all turn up to work every day. It is why we have a career in teaching," she said.
"The first thing I'm going to congratulate them. I could not be prouder."
