Extra covid tests from feds unlikely to make much difference in Western Pa. schools

A White House plan to deliver millions of covid-19 tests to schools by the end of the month likely won’t change much in Western Pennsylvania.

Those already using the tests appreciate the extra resources. The rest have no plans to change course.

Burrell School District “is not interested in testing students or staff,” Superintendent Shannon Wagner said.

Likewise, Hempfield Area schools are not testing, nor are Franklin Regional, New Kensington-Arnold, Norwin or Penn-Trafford, officials told the Tribune-Review.

Last week, the Biden administration promised 5 million rapid tests and 5 million lab-based PCR tests would be available each week to schools that want them. The goal is to ease shortages and keep schools open. There are more than 50 million students and educators in U.S. schools.

Pennsylvania has recorded nearly 2.5 million covid cases during the pandemic. The state is averaging about 26,000 cases a day, according to the latest figures. More than 38,000 Pennsylvanians have died of covid, including 185 reported Friday.

On Saturday, private insurers became required to reimburse Americans for at-home tests. The federal government also has a website for people to request free tests. Biden has said 1 billion will be available.

More tests welcome

This new test wave comes as the omicron surge seems to be waning, with a peak in Western Pennsylvania expected within weeks.

“We welcome the opportunity to access additional tests for use by schools,” said a spokeswoman for Gov. Tom Wolf, whose administration has made covid tests available to schools since August.

Pennsylvania is spending $87 million in federal covid relief funds to have Ginkgo provide free covid testing in K-12 schools. Schools in Philadelphia County are excluded from this program.

Pooled PCR testing is provided weekly at participating schools on a voluntary basis, with parental consent. The goal, the Wolf administration said in announcing the program, is to “identify and prevent the spread of covid-19 throughout the schools.”

Assisting the state education and health departments locally are Pennsylvania’s intermediate units, a system of 29 regional educational service agencies.

“We are engaged and have been engaged since the fall, as have many schools in the Southwest Pennsylvania region and Allegheny County, specifically, with Gingko,” said Aaron Srbkin, director of safety and security for Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU), pandemic response coordinator. “A little more than half of Allegheny County schools are engaged in the current testing program, including public and private schools.

“They’re receptive to it. There’s a whole process they have to follow, an onboarding process where they work with the provider to get trained and how it’s going to be administered. Many schools are taking part of the opportunity.”

The Tribune-Review asked the state departments of education and health for specifics on the number of students and teachers tested each week. Neither provided a solid answer.

Of the approximately 12,500 public and private Pre-K-12 schools in Pennsylvania, 664 are listed as being in the program — with 251 said to be testing, according to state figures.

Westmoreland County has none.

Back to normal

Some 60 schools in Allegheny County participate, including in Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh Public, Plum, Riverview and South Park public schools, as well as Environmental Charter Schools and private St. Edmunds Academy.

Mt. Lebanon is “dedicated to adding as many layered mitigation strategies as we can, like these various testing programs, to continue educating children in-person in a safe and healthy environment,” district spokeswoman Kristen James said.

As for the White House plan to provide more free tests, Ebony Pugh, spokeswoman of Pittsburgh Public Schools, said she wasn’t ready to comment “without understanding the full details.”

She noted the district is using covid-19 testing as part of its mitigation strategy, including testing for employees. Employees who are unvaccinated — as well as those who have not disclosed their vaccination status — face mandatory testing. Testing is optional for other employees through Ginkgo, which has provided testing since the beginning of November.

The program is in place at Concord Pre-K-5 and Weil Pre-K-5, Pugh said. The district has 54 schools.

“We are currently considering adding additional schools and programs to the pilot,” she said.

Staffing shortages kept nearly 20 Pittsburgh schools closed recently, despite six being allowed to reopen.

One district that has taken advantage of the free testing is Woodland Hills. Five of its schools, in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs, have been tested weekly since the end of September.

“Without question, the goal is to have students in class in-person because that is without a doubt the most effective method for students to learn,” said Andrew Chiappazzi, a spokesman with the AIU. “Virtual is serviceable. It’s an option. It’s a resource that’s now available that wasn’t available years ago.

“But it is abundantly clear from both data and anecdotal evidence that in-person learning is just an overall more effective method. Anything that can be done to increase the odds of that happening is a good thing.”