Free COVID-19 tests being distributed to schools nationwide

Photo: SDI Productions/Getty Images

The federal government is distributing free COVID-19 tests to schools nationwide, as part of an effort to keep students safe and schools open.

Millions of tests are expected to be sent out in the coming months through the partnership with the Department of Education and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services.

In a letter sent to local education agencies (LEAs), school districts are being encouraged to order tests directly from the federal government, which are to be made available to students, parents, staff and school communities.

The tests will be made freely available to all traditional and charter education agencies nationwide. School districts may distribute these tests for free to students, staff, parents and school communities. The process will allow schools to stock tests at nurses' offices, distribute them at events, send them home with students or parents. 

WHY THIS MATTERS

Schools nationwide closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. By March 30, 2020, all but one U.S. public school district closed, representing the first-ever nearly synchronous nationwide closure of public K-12 schools, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Approximately 100,000 public schools were closed for more than eight weeks because of COVID-19. The closures affected more than 50 million K-12 students and their families.

The free tests are being distributed as the nation heads into the season for all respiratory diseases.

The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlook anticipates that, as of October 24, the fall and winter respiratory disease season will likely result in a similar number of hospitalizations as last season and a greater number than before the pandemic.  

COVID-19 variants continue to emerge, but have not resulted in rapid disease surges, the CDC said. Currently the CDC said it does not have evidence that the BA.2.86 variant is driving increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States. 

"We continue to anticipate a moderate COVID-19 wave, causing around as many hospitalizations at the peak as occurred at last winter's peak," the report said.

While COVID-19 activity continues to decline in many areas of the country, it remains the cause of most new respiratory virus hospitalizations and deaths, according to the report.

There is sustained RSV activity in the southern U.S., with the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions also now experiencing elevated activity, the CDC said. Influenza activity remains low in most areas of the country, but small increases have been reported in some places. 

While the CDC promotes vaccinations as the best form of protection, COVID-19 vaccine uptake was at 14% as of November 4, a lower percentage than the CDC would like to see. The vaccination rate is higher for people 65 years and older, at about 30% – which is important, since older people are much more likely to be hospitalized and die from COVID-19.

THE LARGER TREND

The partnership builds on two years of programs that have realized over 1.6 billion COVID-19 tests distributed directly to households, schools, long-term care facilities, community health centers and food banks. 

Over four million tests are sent out each week, a number that is expected to rise as more school districts take advantage of this program.

Additionally, on November 20, ASPR opened another round of ordering on COVIDTests.gov, making four more free tests available to households ahead of the holidays. 

ON THE RECORD

"Keeping students and teachers safe has been a priority of the Biden-Harris Administration since day one. Making free COVID-19 tests available to schools this year ensures that students and staff can test throughout the winter months," said Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O'Connell. "The partnership announced today leverages ASPR's ongoing test distribution programs to reach school communities through ED's close relationship to school districts – helping keep communities healthy."

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org