UCSD and San Diego County begin COVID-19 testing program for schools and childcare centers
Safer at School Early Alert system is scaled for individual schools and child care centers without the resources available at a research university. Author: Chris Gros (Reporter) Updated: 11:12 AM PST February 11, 2021
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif In an effort to help schools reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks as they resume in-person instruction, UC San Diego and San Diego County are testing a program to detect the virus which causes COVID-19 at schools and child care centers.
Modeled after UCSD s Return to Learn an approach to safely resume teaching, learning and research at a university Safer at School Early Alert system is scaled for individual schools and child care centers without the resources available at a research university.
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – In an effort to help schools reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks as they resume in-person instruction, UC San Diego and San Diego County are testing a program to detect the virus which causes COVID-19 at schools and child care centers, it was announced Thursday.
Modeled after UCSD’s Return to Learn an approach to safely resume teaching, learning and research at a university Safer at School Early Alert system is scaled for individual schools and child care centers without the resources available at a research university.
Through daily wastewater and surface monitoring, the alert system tests for the presence of particles of SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19-causing coronavirus. Combined with a responsive testing strategy, the aim is to quickly identify children or staff members who are infected with COVID-19 before an outbreak occurs.
About a dozen San Diego County school and child care centers will begin monitoring for COVID-19 through wastewater thanks to a partnership between UC San Diego.
County public health officials and UC San Diego are working together on a program to test wastewater at schools and childcare centers that may lead to a plan to get students back in class safely.