Students in the San Diego Unified School District returned to class Monday for the winter semester, but before they did, the district asked them to take a test -- a COVID-19 antigen test, that is.
When students left for winter break, they were sent home with two at-home rapid antigen tests. The district is asking parents to have their child take the first one of those tests on Dec. 31, and the other on the morning of Monday, Jan. 3, before going back to school.
"Their willingness to do testing every week and to the testing before they go back to school not only protects our family of four but their community. Their soccer team, their classmates their teachers," said Lillian Vania who has two children in Canyon Hill.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
The district said that replacement kits are available at their central office in University Heights on Normal Street if students have lost the tests or need a new one.
San Diego Unified is also asking parents to upload their child's results to the district website here, even if it's negative.
If the test is negative and the student feels well and has no COVID-19 symptoms, they are cleared to return to school, officials said, but if the student does have any COVID-19 symptoms and/or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, authorities want them to stay at home and call their school for instructions on when to return to campus. steps before their return.
Local
If either test is positive, students need to remain at home, and contact their doctor and school right and follow any further instructions before returning to campus.
