CDPH End-to-End Support for Rapid Testing
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Testing Task Force are providing support to schools to offer COVID-19 rapid testing test kits and a data reporting platform. Some districts are also eligible for funding for personnel support. Schools may either receive funds directly from CDPH, or via end-to-end support — in which third party vendors contracted by CDPH perform onsite rapid antigen testing in schools.
Districts and schools that participate in the voluntary Personnel Support for Antigen Testing Program will be assigned a CDPH-approved vendor partner who will be responsible for administering COVID-19 testing onsite by certified (vendor-staffed) personnel, at locations and dates/times designated by the district/school.
Help is here.
Safely Opening Schools has partnered with the California Department of Public Health to support the rollout of End-to-End antigen testing across the state. Inviting an outside testing vendor to test at your school, alleviates staff to return to their daily tasks outside of testing.
Download the user friendly guides to better understand the important role that CDPH, your testing vendor, district, and SOS team play in implementing a successful student testing program.
If you’re interested in learning more about End-to-End services and would like to discuss it with an SOS team member, please submit an interest form below and a team member will reach out to you.
Incentivizing consents from your parent/caregiver community
Once CDPH has introduced your district to an assigned vendor partner, the school district must start working with parents and caregivers to obtain high levels of consent for student testing. For parents who are resistant to providing consent for student testing, encouraging “proactive consent” helps support keeping kids in school in the event of a school outbreak or exposure. Resources - including messaging used by other districts to communicate with families and communities - are available.
Share this video with your community on promoting consent.
Click below to view a sample letter to parents/caregivers on the importance of testing.
Myth Busting
Myth: There is sodium azide on the testing swabs and it is a carcinogen - Busted: The sodium azide is only in the reagent solution used in the lab which does not come into contact with any person.
Myth: Ethylene oxide is a gas used to sterilize medical equipment and those who get tested are exposed to it - Busted: Puritan, who manufactures the swabs, issued a memo stating that the ethylene oxide is removed from the final product and is below the safety level standards.
Helpful Tools
Download our user friendly guides on best practices and how to set up your first day of testing below.
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Safely Opening Schools is a project of the Public Health Institute, (PHI) PHI has been a leader in public health and development for over 50 years. PHI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a vision of creating healthy communities where individuals reach their highest potential. Safely Opening Schools is part of PHIs Prevention Policy Group, which works on policy approaches involved in safely opening public schools after Covid-19.
