Biden to send millions of COVID-19 tests to schools in push to keep doors open

Washington — The Biden administration is planning to make an additional 10 million COVID-19 tests available each month to schools as part of its push for classroom doors to stay open for in-person learning amid the latest surge in coronavirus infections.

The White House said Wednesday that the new investment will more than double the volume of testing conducted at schools nationwide in November. A fact sheet from the White House highlighting the increase in tests said they will "help schools safely remain open and implement screening testing and test-to-stay programs."

With the latest push to boost testing in schools, the Biden administration said it will distribute 5 million free rapid tests to K-12 schools each month. The tests will be used for screening testing, in which some students are tested regularly with the goal of identifying those who are asymptomatic, and test-to-stay programs, in which students exposed to COVID-19 can stay in school so long as they continuously test negative and follow mitigation measures.