CDC studies prove the effectiveness of test-to-stay strategies for school children exposed to COVID, but these programs require significant resources
As the pandemic continues, some officials may feel inclined to shut schools down again, but a new study called test-to-stay shows that unvaccinated school children can safely stay in school without spreading COVID-19. The study is good news for students who learn better in person than over the computer and for those who do not have access to a computer to continue learning remotely.
It’s also good news for parents who are concerned about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine and do not want to vaccinate their children.
Details on the test-to-stay study among school children
The Centers for Disease Control ran the test-to-stay program among children at school districts in Lake County, Illinois and Los Angeles County between August and October. Schools in the county allowed unvaccinated students exposed to COVID-19 to stay in school if they continued to test negative for the virus.
The test-to-stay program among school children helped students avoid disruptive quarantines, which reduced or eliminated their ability to learn. The CDC released a pair of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the strategy.
Some school districts across the U.S. have tried this strategy, although according to The Washington Post, it isn’t widely used.
Controversial quarantines
Quarantining students who have been exposed to COVID but never test positive have become controversial because it disrupts learning. Schools are left rushing to try to make up for months of remote education, which usually isn’t as good as learning in person. Additionally, quarantines leave parents scrambling in search of long-term childcare at the last minute.
As the number of positive COVID cases continues to rise, the number of quarantined children is increasing in step. However, the test-to-stay strategy to keep children in school requires significant resources.
Schools are dealing with a shortage of COVID tests, and the programs require personnel to administer the tests at school. Not all school districts have the personnel resources to carry out such a program.
