U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

01/24/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/24/2022 08:45

School Testing for COVID-19

It's critical that K-12 schools implement safety measures to keep schools open and students and staff healthy and safe from COVID-19. One key measure is regular COVID-19 testing in schools.

When used with vaccination, physical distancing, and properly wearing a mask, regular COVID-19 testing in schools can:

  • Help reduce community spread of COVID-19, keeping schools open and students in classrooms, and protecting students and staff.
  • Serve as an early warning to help schools identify COVID-19 cases early and stop an outbreak before it starts.
  • Provide access to COVID-19 tests for families who may not be able to get them otherwise.
  • Increase confidence among students, parents, and school staff around continuing in-person learning and other activities.

CDC urges you to implement COVID-19 testing programs at schools within your district and support and encourage program participation among parents and staff.

Find tools and resources to start and support school-based testing:

This toolkit includes materials that school administrators can use to help promote regular COVID-19 testing programs and encourage participation among parents, students, and school staff. Many of these materials are customizable and can be adapted according to the school's needs.

Customizable Letters and Q&As