L.A. schools announce massive COVID-19 testing, tracing initiative for all students, staff
The Los Angeles Unified School District announced Sunday that it is launching an ambitious coronavirus testing and contact tracing program for all students, staff and their families — aiming to create a path to safely reopening campuses in the nation’s second-largest school district.
If the plan unfolds as described, it could be one of the most detailed to date for an American school district, involving nearly 500,000 students and 75,000 staff members. It appears to be the most sizable, at least until the larger New York City school system clarifies how it will manage testing and contact tracing. The L.A. testing program is not an immediate prelude to reopening campuses. No date has yet been set, and plans for offering distance learning will proceed as the school year formally begins this week. But what the testing and contact tracing program will offer is a scientifically based confidence builder leading up to the day campuses are able to reopen, providing a road map for safely managing renewed school operations and data to assemble a valuable base of knowledge.“Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary actions, and while this testing and contact tracing effort is unprecedented, it is necessary and appropriate,” said L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner in remarks prepared for broadcast on Monday morning. “This program will provide public health benefit to all in the school community as well as the greater Los Angeles area. It will also provide significant education benefits for students as it will get them back to school sooner and safer and keep them there.” The spread of COVID-19 in the Los Angeles area still far exceeds state guidelines governing the possible return of students to campuses.“The level of new cases in Los Angeles are still two and a half times the state guidelines, and while the portion of those testing positive is below state thresholds, it’s still considerably higher than the World Health Organization standards and those in place for New York,” Beutner said.The superintendent referenced the New York school system because that district is planning to open campuses in a modified fashion when its school year starts in September.in The Times published Sunday. The district hopes to be able to test all students and staff as part of a partnership that includes UCLA, Stanford and Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, Anthem Blue Cross and HealthNet, among others — with a price tag of roughly $300 per student over a year, close to $150 million. The superintendent did not immediately identify the source of the funding, but the district has received hundreds of millions of state and federal dollars for its coronavirus response efforts. District officials also have said they could use additional funding.The testing logistics are currently being fine-tuned and tests will first be administered to teachers and staff who are choosing to work from schools as well as any of their children enrolled in day care provided by the district, Beutner wrote in the opinion piece. “Tests will then be provided for all staff and students over a period of weeks to establish a baseline,” he wrote. “On an ongoing basis, sample testing based on epidemiological models will be done for each cohort of staff and students.” The district’s announcement comes amid growing concerns from parents about a fall semester of online learning. A Times survey published last week showed students from low-income families generally fare
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
South Africa eases Covid-19 lockdown restrictions – latest updatesSouth Africa has eased most Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Some other updates: 🇳🇿 New Zealand reports 13 new cases 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago ramps up measures 🇫🇷 France mulls masks at work For more:
Read more »
Bereaved Families Are \u2018the Secondary Victims of COVID-19\u2019For every person who dies of COVID19, nine close family members are affected, researchers estimate based on complex demographic calculations and data about the coronavirus.
Read more »
Inside the multibillion dollar race for a Covid-19 vaccineThe world is betting on one thing to stop the pandemic: A vaccine. This is what it will take to bring one to the masses — and the key players behind those efforts.
Read more »
Despite COVID-19 Spread, LA County Health Director Is Cautiously OptimisticNPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County's public health director, about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the stress that public health officials are under.
Read more »
Covid-19 vaccine trial volunteers stream into hotspot FloridaPhase three of Moderna's vaccine clinical trials, in which thousands of people take part in the final stages, are gaining traction in Florida, the new US epicentre of the global health crisis.
Read more »
Here’s how to keep your home, business or classroom safe from COVID-19The safest indoor space is one that constantly has lots of outside air replacing the stale air inside.
Read more »