Philadelphia Boys and Girls Choirs takes the health and safety of our singers and their families very seriously. As such, we have a COVID-19 testing program for singers. This program uses Abbott Laboratories BinaxNOW tests provided by the federal government. Please provide consent for us to administer this test on your child or yourself (if age 18 or older), by filling out this form.
What is the test?
A free BinaxNOW rapid test for the COVID-19 virus will be administered to each singer before certain rehearsals and performances. Collecting a specimen for testing involves using a swab, similar to a Q-Tip, placed inside the tip of the nose. A parent volunteer or staff member who has been trained to use this test will collect the specimen and a healthcare professional will oversee the process. Any positive test result will be made available to the singer/parent/guardian who signs this form below. The positive result will be sent by text message and email within 1 hour of the test.
What will happen if a singer’s test result is positive?
If a singer tests positive for the virus, the singer will be moved to a room away from other singers and staff until he or she can be picked up. Singers are to not participate in rehearsals or other choir events until the singer is no longer contagious. If the singer’s test results are negative, the virus was not found in the specimen tested, the singer may continue to attend rehearsals without interruption. In a small number of cases, tests sometimes produce incorrect results – showing negative results (called “false negatives”) in people who have COVID-19 or showing positive results (called “false positives”) in people who don’t have COVID-19. If a singer’s test result is negative but he or she has symptoms of COVID-19, or there are concerns about exposure to COVID-19, medical advice should be sought.
Known Symptoms:
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit
• Loss of taste or smell
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Headache
This list does not include all possible symptoms.
