NEW Weekly At-Home Testing Option
NUEVO programa de tests semanales en casa
በቤት-ውስጥ የሚደረገው ሳምንታዊ አዲሱ የፈጣን ምርመራ ፕሮግራም
নতুন সাপ্তাহিক অ্যাট-হোম টেস্টিং প্রোগ্রাম
البرنامج الأسبوعي الجديد للاختبار بالبيت
Beginning Monday, February 28, CPS will begin implementing a new testing option that will allow staff and students the opportunity to rapid test at home weekly.
HIGHLIGHTS OF AT-HOME RAPID TESTING PLAN:
- ANY student can participate in the new at-home rapid testing program regardless of vaccination status.
- THE TESTING PROGRAM IS VOLUNTARY. Families must opt-in through the CPS Family Portal (recommended method). You can also download the form here: English | Arabic | Amharic | Bengali | Haitian-Creole | Spanish
- Participating students will receive a kit every 2 weeks; each kit will contain 2 tests and instructions for using the self-test.
HIGHLIGHTS OF UPDATED IN-SCHOOL TESTING PROTOCOL:
- CPS will discontinue Test and Stay and contact tracing for in-school close contacts. This means that close contacts of positive cases will no longer be identified and close contacts do not have to quarantine.
- Schools will continue to provide notifications about positive cases in the classroom (elementary) and within the school (upper and high school).
- We will continue with pooled and symptomatic testing during the week, which means students who participate in pooled testing and at-home testing will be testing twice a week, once in school (Monday or Tuesday) and once at home (on Friday).
The transition to the weekly at-home testing program is a data-driven decision made in collaboration with the Cambridge Department of Public Health. We are fortunate that CPS’ in-school transmission rate is very low. By increasing weekly surveillance testing, our nursing staff can focus on identifying symptomatic individuals as opposed to asymptomatic close contacts. This is a more robust and efficient way to reduce the spread of COVID in our schools.
Vaccines and wearing masks continue to be the best way to protect ourselves and one another. We urge students to get vaccinated, get a booster shot and wear masks.