Covid-19 Testing
Testing Data
-
3,336
# of tests taken to date (as of May 3, 2021) -
2
# of Positive Tests -
0.00059%
Positivity rate
1/3
About Covid-19 Testing
All staffulty and students participating in on-campus activities will be tested for Covid-19 on a weekly basis. Our approach to Covid-19 testing is more frequent and extensive than recommended by the state and county and is one of the important processes we will implement to maintain the health and safety of our community.
The test performed is a self-swab saliva test. The analytic sensitivity of this test is greater than 99%; the analytic specificity of this test is greater than 99%.
The lower limit of detection (LoD) is 3 viral copies per reaction. This test can rapidly diagnose active infection from patients who are symptomatic, presymptomatic, or asymptomatic, facilitating proper quarantine, contact tracing, hospitalization, and treatment. A major obstacle in controlling the (Covid-19) pandemic is that patients are contagious while pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic.
In Semester 2, during the Purple Tier, students will participate in monthly on-campus grade level days and will be required to obtain a Covid-19 test within the 72 hours prior to their arrival on campus. If students are participating in weekly extracurricular activities, they will be required to obtain a Covid-19 test each week.
Once we move into the Red Tier and students will be coming on campus for four days every other week, students will obtain a Covid-19 test the week prior to their on-campus academic classes. Students on campus weekly for extracurricular activities will test weekly.
Covid-19 Test & Test Provider
Our testing will be conducted by Machaon Diagnostics, a clinical reference laboratory, specializing in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of hemostatic and thrombotic conditions and based in Oakland, California. Machaon Diagnostics offers testing for essential workers, their employers, and others who require rapid, same-day genetic testing for Covid-19.The test performed is a self-swab saliva test. The analytic sensitivity of this test is greater than 99%; the analytic specificity of this test is greater than 99%.
The lower limit of detection (LoD) is 3 viral copies per reaction. This test can rapidly diagnose active infection from patients who are symptomatic, presymptomatic, or asymptomatic, facilitating proper quarantine, contact tracing, hospitalization, and treatment. A major obstacle in controlling the (Covid-19) pandemic is that patients are contagious while pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic.
Covid-19 Testing Schedule
We will hold one more on-campus test event (on Tuesday, December 8 and Wednesday, December 9) for students participating in an on-campus day or extracurricular activities in the month of December.In Semester 2, during the Purple Tier, students will participate in monthly on-campus grade level days and will be required to obtain a Covid-19 test within the 72 hours prior to their arrival on campus. If students are participating in weekly extracurricular activities, they will be required to obtain a Covid-19 test each week.
Once we move into the Red Tier and students will be coming on campus for four days every other week, students will obtain a Covid-19 test the week prior to their on-campus academic classes. Students on campus weekly for extracurricular activities will test weekly.
Fees & Insurance Coverage for Testing
Machaon Diagnostics will bill each patient's primary insurance, and the insurance company in turn gets reimbursed by the CARES Act (including a program for uninsured individuals) that the Federal and State governments have established. There is no cost to the individual. For Kaiser members, Machaon has been billing Kaiser for these tests and has reported that it is the easiest insurance to work with, with a very quick turnaround on the response.Opting In or Out of On-Campus Testing
We are providing Covid-19 testing as a convenience to our community; however students and staffulty are not required to utilize our testing services. If it is more convenient for you to obtain a Covid-19 test elsewhere, you will need to obtain one within 72 hours prior to your arrival on campus. You will need to provide documentation of a negative test and email your results to healthcare [at] sonomaacademy.org. Free testing is available in multiple locations. Check this page for testing locations in Sonoma County and please note that it can take 2-3 days or more to receive testing results.Contact Tracing
Community members are required to report Covid-19 symptoms, exposure, and/or positive tests to the Healthcare Coordinator so that the school may conduct thorough contact tracing procedures and ensure enhanced disinfection procedures.
Contact tracing will be led by our Healthcare Coordinator and will follow Sonoma County’s procedure for identifying and providing notification for anyone who may have had contact with a Covid-19 positive person while on campus.
In the event that an individual within our community tests positive for Covid-19, the cohort within which that individual participated in on-campus activities will be contacted and asked to isolate themselves for 14 days. That cohort will not be allowed to return to campus until the 14 day isolation period has been complete and all members of the cohort have obtained negative Covid-19 tests.
Please review the Health & Safety Protocols section, including information on Covid-19 Symptoms, Diagnosis, or Exposure.
Contact tracing will be led by our Healthcare Coordinator and will follow Sonoma County’s procedure for identifying and providing notification for anyone who may have had contact with a Covid-19 positive person while on campus.
In the event that an individual within our community tests positive for Covid-19, the cohort within which that individual participated in on-campus activities will be contacted and asked to isolate themselves for 14 days. That cohort will not be allowed to return to campus until the 14 day isolation period has been complete and all members of the cohort have obtained negative Covid-19 tests.
Please review the Health & Safety Protocols section, including information on Covid-19 Symptoms, Diagnosis, or Exposure.
Sonoma Academy Is...
...the only private, independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County. On our beautiful campus nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Southeastern Santa Rosa, our students are able to explore their interests and passions in a rigorous and inspiring environment that develops a lifelong love of learning and prepares them for college and beyond.
Sonoma Academy admits students of any race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
