BOSTON (WHDH) - Revere Public Schools students were sent home with free at-home COVID-19 tests on Wednesday, while a school in Lynn shifted to remote learning as new virus cases in Massachusetts continue to surge ahead of the holidays.
Revere Superintendent Dianne Kelley says she hopes the students will utilize the test kits before they return from winter break next month. About 7,000 students in total across the district were given a kit.
Massachusetts recently purchased 2.1 million test kits and distributed them to 100 communities that have higher rates to COVID-19 and barriers to testing.
“We still have a lot of opportunity to get tests and make sure that we’re safe when we go to engage with our family and loved ones,” Kelley said. “For a lot of kids in Revere, that’s not as easy to do.”
The decision to distribute test kits comes after Breed Middle School in Lynn was forced to suddenly close and shift to remote learning with just two days remaining before winter break due to a spike in virus cases.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education approved the school’s move to remote learning through at least the end of the week.
“Testing is hugely important because if we can identify who has COVID, isolate them from the community, and keep everybody else safe, then we can continue our in-person learning,” Kelley explained, citing concerns over the highly-contagious omicron variant.
Revere recently held a vaccine clinic for students. Teachers and staff have also been offered a $250 stipend to get vaccinated.
Boston Public School is also handing out test kits to students.
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