Abington Schools Providing Free COVID Tests For Students And Staff After April Break
ABINGTON (CBS) – Now that school vacation week is over, kids are returning back to school, and in most districts that means full in-person learning. Out of an abundance of caution, the town of Abington offered free rapid testing at the middle and high school on Sunday.
"We thought we would get tested before school tomorrow," said parent Kim Johnston.
"Kids that might have gone away, had sleepovers with other kids -- with all our kids coming back to school full in person, just to provide a safer environment for everybody," said Abington Assistant Superintendent Felicia Moschella.
The Abington school nurses came up with the idea to offer free testing as kids return from April vacation. The rapid testing only took 15 minutes.
"If someone is positive, we can start them in isolation and family in quarantine and not come back to the school," Moschella said.
School officials say they got great responses in regard to families requesting this free testing opportunity upon returning from vacation.
"We got tested because we traveled so we want to be safe. We want to make sure that everybody's safe," said parent Lorena Rocha.
As of Sunday morning, 50 families were registered and the requests keep rolling in.
"We actually ended up being overbooked. As the day has gone on we got more emails saying 'can we come in?' So as we've gotten them, we've added them in, we don't want to turn anybody away," said Abington High School nurse Sarah Lapointe.
Students like Giovanna Rocha are excited to back in the classroom. "I feel like having a teacher actually teaching me is way better than online," she said.
School officials say as more people become vaccinated it's important that everyone remains vigilant.
"Please don't send your children to school if they have any symptoms," Moschella said.