As CPS Sends At-Home COVID Tests To Families, One Chicago Mom Worries For Her Family As Her Son Tests Positive
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's a first for Chicago Public Schools in the fight against COVID-19.
The district is sending home thousands of take-home COVID tests. CBS 2's Asal Rezaei reports the news comes as schools across the city are seeing a spike in cases.
CPS is sending home at least 150,000 take home tests to more than 300 schools in the city. It comes at a time where many schools are having to switch to remote learning, as more and more students are testing positive for COVID-19.
One mom told CBS 2 she's now worried about her entire family after her son tested positive. Dawn Payton, a mom to three teenagers, said she's beyond concerned right now.
"As a parent, its been very emotional for me. You know, depression is real," Payton said. "Seeing that's he's going through this, and he's feeling isolated, and no one wants to see their kid with COVID-19."
Payton said her 17-year-old son Michael, a student at Chicago Vocational High School, came home feeling sick last Thursday and then tested positive for COVID-19. She said right now, she's thankful no one else in her home has tested positive.
"I'm monitoring my younger kids to make sure they're not showing any symptoms," Payton said.
She said she received an update from her son's coach just Monday saying "due to recent athletes testing positive for COVID, the team has been shut down."
And it's not the only Chicago public school dealing with sudden changes because of the coronavirus. At Wentworth Elementary School on the southwest side, we're told some classrooms have switched to remote learning 'due to an abundance of caution,'" Payton said.
Administrators at Gregory Elementary School said at least three classrooms are in quarantine there, meaning they're remote learning and recommended to stay home.
Data on the CPS website shows at least 629 students tested positive for COVID-19 last week, That's compared to 399 students and 192 students tested positive in the two weeks prior. The data is also showing the daily rate of students being quarantined in the last week is higher than any other time during this past school year.
"Just the fact that knowing that is in the house is kind of scary, when you as a parent have tried everything you can to keep your kids safe," Payton said.
Payton added that the worst part about all of this is that her son was supposed to go get his booster shot the same day he tested positive. Now, he has to wait three months before he can get that COVID booster vaccine.