DOVER — The state is expanding its use of rapid antigen test for COVID-19 testing.

The Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services, in partnership with the Division of Public Health, announced a rapid COVID-19 testing program Thursday. It will bring the rapid tests to group homes, day programs and other provider-managed settings that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Beginning this month, these provider agencies have access to rapid antigen testing kits that detect active COVID-19 virus in 15 minutes.

“These testing kits are going to be a very welcomed resource to our provider community,” said Cory Nourie, director of community services for DDDS. “Many of the individuals we support across the state have underlying health conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

“But they also rely on the close contact and care provided to them daily by their direct-support professionals and can’t always benefit from the standard tools of mask-wearing and social distancing that others rely upon for staying safe. We’ve been waiting for a tool like this to be available, and I’m so excited we now have it for our provider network.”

The state was testing the use of rapid tests earlier this month at select Curative Inc. community testing sites. The Delaware Emergency Management Agency has since morphed into a permanent rapid-testing site at Dover’s Modern Maturity Center, according to DEMA spokesperson Jeff Sands.

Individuals can register for the MMC’s rapid-test site by visiting de.gov/gettested and searching for the site. It is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and delivers results in 15 minutes or less. Anyone who tests positive will also take a polymerase chain reaction test to confirm, Mr. Sands said.

For the new program in settings that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, individuals testing positive will be required to isolate at home and obtain a PCR COVID-19 test through Curative to confirm the rapid test. They will not return to work until they provide a negative PCR result or have completed their isolation period.

“The rapid test gives us one more option for ensuring the safety of service recipients and staff until we can bring the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone,” Ms. Nourie said.

Dr. Rick Pescatore, chief physician for the DPH, said, “During the pandemic, the state has been working to increase access to fast, accurate testing options. We all know that the sooner we can identify an individual as COVID-positive, the sooner we can begin the process of isolation and contact tracing to minimize the spread of this terrible disease.

“Getting access to rapid antigen testing is exactly what we were looking for, and its use in the group home and congregate settings is a smart way to use this tool. We’re excited to see this get out into the field and to see what impact it can have.”

The test is administered in the provider-managed setting by a trained staff member using a shallow nasal swab and a couple drops of indicator, which, when combined, provide a result in 15 minutes. Participating providers are able to test their direct-support professionals on-site and identify asymptomatic COVID-19-positive individuals.

This, in conjunction with the other safety precautions already in place, will provide an added level of protection and assistance in mitigating the spread to vulnerable Delawareans, a DDDS press release stated.

The rapid antigen tests are provided by the State Health Operations Center. Providers interested in testing must obtain a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment waiver, a federally mandated document that allows laboratory testing to be performed outside of a traditional laboratory setting.

Once the waiver has been obtained, and staff have been trained by DPH, testing kits are delivered directly to providers.

The DDDS has more than 5,000 service recipients statewide, including 1,270 who receive residential habilitation services in group homes and similar community-based settings.