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Austin ISD leaders, parents hope COVID-19 testing and health protocols will keep kids safe as they head back to school

Austin ISD leaders told KVUE more than 1,200 people were tested on Monday, as kids and staff get ready for the first day of school on Wednesday.

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin ISD (AISD) opened several COVID-19 testing sites ahead of the first day of school on Wednesday, Jan. 5, with the hope that they can keep any sick kids home to help control the spread following winter break. 

Austin ISD Director of Health Services Alana Bejarano told KVUE that more than 1,200 staff and students got tested on Monday. This is not including the after hours testing that was also held Monday at the district's central office. The district had a positivity rate of about 14.5% from Monday to Tuesday.

The district said it is happy to see people get tested before school restarts.

In a letter sent to parents the day before students' return, Austin ISD advised that students up their masking. Leaders are encouraging students to wear N95 or KN95 maks or to wear two masks.

Officials are also encouraging parents to get their kids vaccinated and boosted, if they are eligible. Students as young as 12 can get a booster vaccine. They say all the same safety protocols are in place this semester, except the change to the length of quarantine. 

"So everything still in play from the beginning of the school year," said Bejarano. "Except for the new CDC guidelines of the five days of quarantine for a positive. So, that's the only thing that's changed. The contact tracing notification, testing, vaccinations are all the same."

The following testing sites are open starting Monday, Jan. 3, and will run from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., Monday through Friday:

  • Akins Early College High School
  • Eastside Early College High School 
  • Navarro Early College High School 
  • Northeast Early College High School
  • Travis Early College High School  
  • McCallum High School
  • Cunnigham Elementary School
  • Kiker Elementary School 
  • Norman-Sims Elementary School 
  • Pillow Elementary School 

KVUE spoke with one mother who got her son tested at Pillow Elementary on Monday. She said they waited about an hour and a half to get tested. 

"I wish there were a few more spots, but I'm sure that it was hard to get staffing, so I totally understand," said AISD parent Meredith Word.

Word hopes others take advantage of the free testing ahead of the first day of school. 

"I don't think that this is probably a very big percentage of the kids in AISD," said Word. "So, I don't know what the other sites look like. But yeah, I mean, I hope that people are getting tested."

Word added that her son has autism and that virtual learning was a big challenge. She is happy that safety protocols are in place that allow kids to learn in the classroom. 

"Remote learning was not a very good option for us. So we just are being really safe and hoping for the best," said Word. 

There are a few parents who wish there was a virtual option, but Bejarano told KVUE the district believes it is important for kids to be in the classroom and they are doing everything they can to make schools as safe as possible, including required masking. They are also encouraging parents to send their kids to school in a good, fitted mask or to have their kids double mask. 

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