COVID Testing Update: January 6, 2022

COVID Testing Update: January 6, 2022
Posted on 01/06/2022
12:30PM Update:

Good afternoon CPS Community:

We wanted to provide a timely update regarding where we are in our testing efforts at this time.

  • We prioritized the National Guard to the sites that had the largest number of students in the positive pools, beginning  with CRLS. There, they tested the majority of the 123 students present today who were in Monday’s positive pool samples, any close contacts identified through contact tracing and anyone who wanted to be tested.
  • The team split and then went to the next group of schools with a large number of students in a positive pool: CSUS/KO and RAUC/Peabody. At these schools they are also testing the students who were in Monday’s positive pool samples and any close contacts identified through contact tracing. 
  • All other schools have worked to identify as many students as possible who were in a positive pool. They are doing regular surveillance testing and testing unvaccinated close contacts through Test and Stay. 
  • As we shared this morning, on Monday, we will resume our robust testing schedule of weekly testing for all students and staff. Hundreds of additional students will be included in this plan due to the additional consents collected on Monday. 

Sincerely,

The CPS Team



9:10AM Update:

Dear CPS Community:

We want to again thank you for your patience and understanding, particularly over the last few days. We understand that Monday’s testing, followed by the significant delay in obtaining results, has been incredibly frustrating and concerning.

As of this morning, CPS and the Cambridge Public Health Department know the following:
  • The lab has only provided individual positive results for 3 students, whose families were notified yesterday.
  • Approximately 125 CRLS students were identified as members of positive pools and notified this morning.
  • The vast majority of results will not be not be available due to a variety of factors at the lab. We are not the only district experiencing this challenge.
This is incredibly disappointing to everyone involved, especially the many families and students who changed work and child care plans at the last minute and stood in long lines to get tested. The lab has taken full responsibility and, with the support of the state, is providing additional testing teams from the National Guard to conduct rapid tests for us today.

Here is the plan:
  • We have prioritized the testing team from the National Guard to conduct rapid tests for those identified CRLS students,. If time and supplies are available, they will then proceed to the Peabody/RAUC campus to test in-person students who tested on Monday.
  • Our nurses and aids are focusing today on testing unvaccinated close contacts of the positive students who were in attendance yesterday (Test and Stay), as well as planned staff testing.
  • On Monday, we will resume the robust testing schedule of weekly testing for all students and staff. Hundreds of additional students will be included in this plan due to the additional consents collected on Monday.
As always, all students demonstrating any symptoms should stay home and get tested at community sites.

Again, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.

Sincerely,

The CPS Team
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