The CDC Endorses a Nationwide “Test to Stay” Program in Schools
Unvaccinated Students Allowed to Continue Education after COVID-19 Exposure
As COVID-19 persists, primarily through its new, highly transmissible “Omicron” variant, student access to education has continued to be an area of focus for school districts—particularly, how vaccination status should be considered in the classroom in the event of exposure. In a December press release, the CDC shed light on the issue, endorsing the implementation of a “Test to Stay” program for unvaccinated students in schools across the country.
Through the “Test to Stay” program, unvaccinated students who are exposed to COVID-19 can remain in school if all students wear masks, remain symptom-free, and test twice a week for the duration of the exposure period. This new initiative gives unvaccinated students an equal opportunity to continue their education, while maintaining careful practices to keep all students and staff safe.
While this is an excellent benefit for unvaccinated students who can remain in the classroom, the “Test to Stay” program’s additional protocols add further responsibilities to current staff required to test each unvaccinated student twice per week and monitor for symptoms.
No matter how large or small the unvaccinated student population is in your school district, the use of temporary school staff can help to streamline weekly COVID-19 testing and monitoring, allowing current staff to focus on their everyday responsibilities.
AMN Healthcare’s qualified temporary staff will not only take on the testing and monitoring responsibilities for each student, but also uphold safety practices to help prevent an outbreak. Learn more about how our school staffing solutions can support your school district in following the "Test to Stay" program for your unvaccinated students.
