Governor Bill Lee announced Tuesday that Tennessee schools soon will begin receiving rapid test kits for coronavirus, which he hopes will allow schools to reopen and continue running safely. The federal government will send 133,000 tests to the state, with the first shipment arriving next week, according to News Channel 5. Shipments are expected to continue throughout the remainder of the year, totaling 2 million rapid test kits.
Results from COVID-19 tests typically range from days to weeks. According to Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercy, these rapid test kits will provide results in around 15 minutes, News Channel 5 reports. The rapid test kits swab the front of the nostril rather than deep inside the nasal cavity. The swab will then be placed on a card where a chemical reaction will provide either a positive or negative result.
"That's not only getting schools that are currently closed or all virtual reopened back in person, but also keeping those schools that are open ... keeping the students in the classroom whenever possible," Piercey said.
The news follows Gov. Lee's announcement Tuesday that he was lifting all restrictions on businesses and gatherings in 89 of the state's 95 counties. Six counties with their own health departments will determine the restrictions placed on their county.
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