Pooled COVID testing to start at these 120 Massachusetts schools and districts this month
Updated Feb 04, 2021;
A program to offer weekly pooled COVID-19 testing for students and educators is starting in Massachusetts this month, with 120 schools and districts signed up to participate so far, according to education officials.
Those 120 schools and districts represent more than a quarter of the state’s public school students, said a spokeswoman for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Schools and districts will start testing as close to Feb. 8 as possible, said Jackie Reis, the spokeswoman. Some districts could start this week. DESE will continue to accept applications for the program through the end of the month.
523 students, 407 staffers positive for COVID in Massachusetts schools in last week
Updated Jan 14, 2021;
A total of 930 COVID-19 cases, split between 523 students and 407 staff members, have been reported at Massachusetts schools from Jan. 7 to 13, education officials said Thursday.
Those cases do not include students who are learning remotely. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education each Thursday issues a COVID case report, detailing the number of students and staff members who reported a positive test for the coronavirus within seven days of being inside school buildings.
This week’s report details 505 student cases and 355 staff cases at local school districts. There were six student cases and 10 staff cases at education collaboratives. And there were 12 student cases and 42 staff cases at approved special education schools.