San Francisco (March 24, 2022) - The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is distributing over 123,000 rapid at-home COVID-19 test kits to all SFUSD students and staff. SFUSD students and staff are expected to use the rapid tests distributed to them prior to returning from spring break, regardless of whether they are symptomatic or where their work location is. 

“SFUSD is providing these tests to encourage proactive COVID-19 testing, which can prevent exposures, outbreaks and unnecessary missed days for SFUSD staff and students,” said SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews. “By prioritizing and investing in COVID-19 mitigation efforts, we can keep our communities safe.” 

“We commend SFUSD for taking a preventative approach to COVID-19 by distributing rapid test kits to all students and staff so that they can come back from spring break with minimal disruptions to in-person learning,” said Health Officer, Dr. Susan Philip of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. “'While vaccination is the absolute best way to protect each student, having tests on hand, and using them needed is an important part of disease preparedness as we learn to manage this virus for the foreseeable future.”

“SFUSD is actively following health and safety protocols in compliance with state and local public health guidance to curb the spread of COVID-19, so that our schools can remain a safe, welcoming, and healthy environment,” SF Board of Education President Jenny Lam said. “When preventative measures are appropriately taken, schools are low-risk and safe environments for students to learn, play, and thrive.”

While testing is not required, SFUSD strongly urges students and staff to use one of the test kits before returning from spring break to minimize the spread of COVID-19 after the holiday. SFUSD’s spring break is March 28 through April 1.

Students and staff will receive 2 COVID-19 test kits along with a flier that contains information and instructions on the steps that parents/guardians should take upon testing. The test kit may be an antigen or a molecular/PCR test. All tests are rapid tests that can be performed at home. An antigen test has two tests in one kit and the molecular/PCR kit has one test. SFUSD students and staff are instructed to use one of the test kits before returning from Spring Break and the safety protocols associated with positive test results.  

As part of the layered approach to keep schools safe, SFUSD is operationalizing one of the largest COVID-19 testing efforts in San Francisco and has made reliable testing regularly available to students and staff since last spring. SFUSD continues to offer multiple testing options, including Color self-swab testing at every school site with daily pick-ups, and on-site rapid antigen testing through Safer Together.  

Effective March 24, 2022, SFUSD will implement the group tracing method of COVID-19 contact tracing. Group contact tracing allows students who are close contacts to stay in school and test unless they have or develop symptoms. 

Starting April 2, 2022, masking will be strongly recommended but not required at all district schools and worksites, including PreKindergarten, Transitional Kindergarten, elementary and K-8 schools. 

###