Minnesota has updated its COVID-19 testing efforts for teachers and students as the 2021-2022 school year approaches, boosting the variety of tests and offering grants to help fund local efforts.
Offering the tests in the schools is “strongly recommended” with the rise in delta variant cases in Minnesota and nationwide, especially among the unvaccinated. The vaccines to battle the coronavirus are only approved for those ages 12 and older.
“Regular testing, along with masking and the other layers of prevention, gives our schools, students, families and educators the best chance of getting the school year off to a successful and healthy start,” Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said in a prepared statement.
The no-fee tests offered this year include nasal swab and saliva tests.
Based on the level of community spread across Minnesota, health officials recommend all unvaccinated school-age children and school staff get tested for the coronavirus at least once a week during the school year. Those involved in sports or other extracurricular activities should be tested more frequently. Vaccinated staff and students should get tested if they are experiencing symptoms or were exposed to an infected person.
The testing options will be available for public school districts, charter schools, tribal schools and nonpublic schools. Grants to help pay for staff and the tests themselves will also be available to them, according to a release Tuesday by the state’s Department of Health and Department of Education.
“Getting people vaccinated as soon as possible is critical for our long-term success against COVID-19,” Malcolm said. “Meanwhile, for those who are not yet vaccinated, regular screening testing is an important tool to know they are healthy, get the care they need if they are sick, and prevent the spread of the virus to others.”
Adds Minnesota Education Commissioner Dr. Heather Mueller: “We must use every available tool to keep our students in classrooms because we know that is best for their well-being and academic success.”