Rapid COVID-19 tests to be provided to school districts

A local government program will provide COVID-19 rapid tests to schools.

Gov. Greg Abbott, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced the creation of the COVID-19 Rapid Testing Pilot Program for local school systems.

The program aims to lessen the spread of COVID-19 on school campuses across the state. The announcement was made on Oct. 14.

The TDEM will provide COVID-19 rapid antigen tests through the program that will be administered to employees, teachers and students of participating schools. The test will generate reliable results within 15 minutes. 

Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be given to the schools for safe administration of the rapid tests.

Participating students, however, are required to submit a written permission from their parents.

"As more students return to campus for in-person instruction, the state of Texas is working alongside school officials to provide resources to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among students and staff," Gov. Abbott said in the release.

Texas public schools, as with schools across the country, closed early last spring as the pandemic caused concern in all 50 states. Some school districts opened on time in August and September while other delayed the start of the 2020-21 school year. Abbott has mandated the use of masks in schools across the Lone Star State and districts have taken a variety of precautions.

"Thank you to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for providing these advanced antigen tests to the state of Texas,” he said. “This rapid testing pilot program will be an effective strategy to protect the health and safety of students and staff while helping to further ensure that Texas students have access to a quality education throughout the pandemic and beyond."

Eight participating school systems such as Ysleta Independent School District, Harlingen Consolidated ISD, Longview ISD, Lampasas ISD, Granger ISD, Grace Community School (Tyler), Fabens ISD and Bob Hope School (Port Arthur) will be included in the launch of the pilot program.

Interested Texas private and public schools can apply for the testing program through the TEA until Oct. 28.