Schools Are Looking to Test for COVID-19 on a Widespread Basis. Are You in the Running to Do It?

California and Virginia are among the states to reveal recently how they plan to address large-scale testing for COVID-19. While their approaches are distinct, each might offer clues as to how your urgent care operation could support area school systems while possibly introducing new patients to all the services you’re capable of providing. California, after an 11-district pilot program, announced that it is expanding coverage for rapid diagnostic testing of students and staff throughout the summer (and, likely, into the autumn). That means more opportunity for operators in the Golden State, provided they’re assertive enough to pitch the idea to local school districts. On the other side of the country, the Virginia Department of Health appears to be advocating for testing of symptomatic students and staff to be done in school by the school nurse, using the binaxNOW platform. That flies in the face of concerns expressed by school nurse organizations and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however. No matter where you’re located, the time to make yourself—and your capabilities—known is now. Reach out to school nurses, school boards, and superintendents. (And don’t forget private and parochial schools.) Ask what their plans are for both testing symptomatic children but also whether kids and teachers are required to show a negative test result before returning to campus. You might be able to provide a solution that helps all parties.