District Provides 8,800 Rapid Tests to Students

A rapid antigen test provided by Alameda Unified. (Image via Arianna Zalder)

As COVID cases surge in the nation, AUSD distributed rapid self-tests to all students and district employees before winter break. Two rapid tests were provided during the week of December 13-17 and are to be administered on January 2 and 6.

“The district received 10,000 rapid test kits for winter break. Approximately 8,800 for students and 1,200 for employees.” said Shariq Khan, Alameda Unified’s Chief Business Officer.

Tests were provided to students and staff free of charge.

“The ones for students were procured from CDPH (California Department for Public Health) through a trial program which the State announced in early December (of 2021),” said Khan. “The ones for employees were procured through Alameda County Office of Emergency Services.”

At Encinal Jr/Sr High School, tests were delivered and distributed to students’ English classes.

“I appreciate that we’re taking measures according to new spikes/variants,” said Encinal junior Molly Boyle.

As of December 30, California’s 7-day average had jumped to 32,000 COVID cases. The last time California had an average that high was a year ago (in January 2021).

Junior Vinny Camarillo displays his negative test result.

The rapid tests are meant to be taken the day before students return to school, on January 2nd, and four days after returning to school, on January 6th. This could help identify positive cases before students return to campus.

“I like the idea,” said parent Melissa Carangan who has two children at Encinal. “I just tested one of my boys (and) I’m waiting for the other to wake up.”

However, some students are skeptical of the rapid test results.

“It is doing something and I appreciate that, but they aren’t very accurate,” said junior Caitlyn Macaskill.

Rapid (or antigen) tests aren’t as accurate as PCR tests, but they do provide results within 15 minutes. For many, quick results provide peace of mind. With cases on the rises and people gathering with families, many local retailers all sold out of rapid tests.

Distributing 10,000 tests in less than a week isn’t an easy task. At Encinal, if students were absent from their English class or aren’t enrolled in an English class, they may have missed distribution.

“They didn’t make sure everyone had a test before going into break,” said senior Annabel Jones.

Senior Davis Oduor displays his negative test result.

Senior Fred Tyler displays his negative test result.