As the United States grapples with the difficult task of getting American school children back into classrooms, President Joe Biden's administration directed $10 billion from the recently passed stimulus package to increase COVID-19 testing in schools to accelerate school reopening.
Biden wants to accelerate school reopening
The Biden administration stated that the funding, which was a portion of the stimulus package, will go out in April and be awarded directly to states. The administration also mentioned that since the funding will be allocated proportionally, huge states like California and Texas will be receiving more than $800 million individually.
According to NBC News, the Biden administration is also designating $2.25 billion specifically to the COVID-19 testing of individuals among underserved populations to address health disparities. Also, another $150 million will be provided to help underserved communities get COVID-19 treatments, and these are the latest effort of the administration of Biden in accelerating school reopening.
Biden directed states this month to prioritize teachers for vaccinations, and all states have now established the inclusion of teachers in the priority group. The administration also allotted $650 million this month for the testing of schools under the K-8 program and those underserved congregate settings just like homeless shelters.
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The Biden administration is encouraging schools to utilize the testing to identify symptomatic and asymptomatic students and work with local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control in setting up the said programs. Carole Johnson, the White House COVID-19 testing coordinator, shared that they know that school districts want to reopen. But up to this point, many lack the resources to set up COVID-19 screening programs for students, educators, and staff in keeping COVID-19 out of their schools in the U.S., and she emphasized that all of it will change.
Norris Cochran, the acting Health and Human Services Secretary, shared that coronavirus testing is critical in saving lives and the restoration of economic activity. Cochran also added that as part of the Biden Administration's National Strategy, HHS would continue their expansion and their capacity to get the testing to individuals and the places that need it the most so they can prevent transmission of the virus and defeat the pandemic, CNBC reported.
But despite the growing number of teachers who were able to get the vaccination, testing will still be crucial as younger students will not be eligible to get the vaccine until early next year as pharmaceutical companies and vaccine makers are still waiting for the results of their expanded safety and clinical trials. Educators have been pushing for expanding the testing in schools, specifically with less expensive rapid tests for asymptomatic students, Spectrum News reported.
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Meanwhile, schools are now required to get a waiver before using every rapid test on a student who is not displaying symptoms. The White House COVID-19 testing coordinator shared that they continue working on the said process to accelerate school reopening.
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