Glendora Unified To Distribute Free COVID Test Kits Wednesday

Glendora CA

04 January, 2022

7:16 PM

Description

GLENDORA, CA — With classes back in session this week amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across Los Angeles County, the Glendora Unified School District will distribute free test kits to students. The test kits are limited to one per student, the district said in a statement Tuesday. Kits are available for pick-up at a drive-through event held at the GUSD office on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. Test kits are not mandatory but are strongly encouraged by the district as it's "one way we can all help ensure our schools stay open and safe during the winter surge." Parents are required to fill out a test kit form online before going to the drive-through event, district officials said. When Glendora schools reopened Monday, it was amid a coronavirus surge fueled by the omicron variant. COVID-19 cases shot up in California after the holidays, with the average daily case count reaching 39,450, according to The New York Times. The count signifies a 408 percent increase from the previous 14 days. In Los Angeles County, the area saw a 607 percent increase with a 19,154 daily average case count, the Times reported. To protect students returning to the classrooms this week, Glendora Unified will implement several safety measures issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health within the next two weeks. Schools will test for asymptomatic close contacts of infected students, regardless of vaccination status, the district said. Face coverings will also be necessary for outdoor crowded areas where physical distancing is not possible. Faculty and staff members at Glendora schools will also be required to wear upgraded face coverings, either surgical masks are respirators, the district said. The district is also recommending all students wear non-cloth face coverings that are well-fitted to their faces and that all eligible staff members and students receive a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.