As many students are returning to in-person learning this fall, CDC is recommending that schools take several steps to help stop the spread of COVID-19. These safety measures include consistent and correct mask use, physical distancing, and promoting vaccination. Another critical step to help keep schools open is regular COVID-19 testing at school for students, teachers, and staff members.
School-based COVID-19 testing programs help keep children in school. Additionally, these programs protect the health of students, families, educators, and the community—especially those who are not fully vaccinated or are otherwise at risk of severe illness from COVID-19—and most importantly, serve as an early warning system to help stop an outbreak before it starts.
To help support schools who are implementing regular school testing programs, CDC has developed a suite of free resources.
The COVID-19 School Testing Toolkit includes the following:
- Social media content that communicates the importance of COVID-19 school testing and can be shared on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
- Informational flyers to promote school COVID-19 testing programs and answer questions about COVID-19 school testing.
- Posters that highlight the benefits of COVID-19 testing programs in schools and portray in-person learning and activities.
- Customizable letters and FAQs for teachers and parents that address frequently asked questions about school COVID-19 testing programs.
