On-campus COVID-19 rapid testing coming to Colorado schools, according to Governor
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Starting after the New Year, Governor Jared Polis says Colorado schools will be able to test students and teachers for COVID-19 on campus.
The announcement came during Tuesday's press briefing about schools returning to in-person learning and what state and local governments are doing to keep students and teachers safe.
"We know that what has been occurring this last semester simply hasn't worked for too many kids, for too many teachers, for too many parents, and we can and we must do better," Polis says.
The biggest change Polis mentioned is that schools will soon be able to conduct on-campus rapid testing for any students or staff who are feeling sick.
"If a teacher has a symptom, instant test," Polis says. "We have plenty of supplies to do that." Adding County health departments will be the ones supplying those tests but if schools aren't getting what they need then the state will step in.
Allison Cortez with Academy District 20 says this is the first time the district heard about this plan. “We don’t know the answer to that yet but we are really eager to explore it and excited to partner up with El Paso County Public health if it is possible,” Cortez says. Adding testing will help make the district's contact tracing and quarantining significantly easier.
On Tuesday, D20 released its plans for the upcoming semester. Cortez says all students will begin with learning remotely. Then, elementary students will be the first to return to the classroom, followed by middle and high school students with hybrid learning.
The reason why the district is spacing it out is due to students and teachers traveling for the holiday.
“One of the biggest pieces of guidance from the local and state level was to really create a hiatus in-between the final days of travel of the holiday season and an in-person start to schools," Cortez says.
To watch the Governor's press conference regarding schools, click here.
