SFUSD offering COVID self-swab test kits to students in time for Thanksgiving
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- With only a few days before the beginning of the holidays, San Francisco's Health Department is putting out its safety plan which will be followed by the city's school district.
This week, San Francisco public schools began handing out self-swab kits to anyone who is symptomatic or has been in close contact with someone with COVID-19.
"This is another measure we can take to allow everyone to be in person together learning safely," said SFUSD spokesperson, Laura Dudnick.
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The swab test is in addition to the already available COVID test administered at one of the district's mobile testing sites.
For the holidays, the school district is following the recommendations of the CDC and local health department asking that:
San Francisco Health Director, Dr. Grant Colfax offered an update Wednesday.
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"As people gather and engage in the busy holiday season, contact rates will increase... and therefore there are more opportunities for the virus to spread," he warned.
As of today, in San Francisco, 13,000 children ages 5 to 11 have received their first dose of the vaccine, that's 30% of the kids in that age group.
The CDC is recommending that if someone travels, vaccinated or not to stay home and self-quarantine once they return.
"Even if they haven't traveled, maybe they've gotten sick over the Fall break, if they are not feeling well, if they have symptoms, we do want to make sure families self-screen before they come to school and we're encouraging all students to do this," added Dudnik.
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