Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam says the Wolf Administration is directing vaccine providers to support COVID-19 vaccination clinics at institutions of higher education and K-12 schools, and paying a private contractor to provide free COVID-19 testing in K-12 schools across the commonwealth to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and outbreaks in schools during the upcoming school year.
Sam Dunklau was WITF’s Capitol Bureau Chief from 2020 – 2023.
Commonwealth Media Services
Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam says the Wolf Administration is directing vaccine providers to support COVID-19 vaccination clinics at institutions of higher education and K-12 schools, and paying a private contractor to provide free COVID-19 testing in K-12 schools across the commonwealth to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and outbreaks in schools during the upcoming school year.
(Harrisburg) –– Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is trying a two-pronged approach to keep K-12 school environments safe from a recent surge in COVID-19 cases.
The departments of health and education are now encouraging as many school districts as possible to host vaccination clinics, which health experts say can help drive up the vaccination rate in communities where that number remains low.
Public and private schools outside Philadelphia can also now opt in to have students tested regularly for free — so long as their parents give permission. The state is using $87 million dollars in federal pandemic relief money to pay a private contractor to provide the tests.
“It’s clear that everyone wants to keep kids in the classroom and keep extra curricular activities going. That’s why we’re encouraging all K through 12 schools to take advantage of this unique opportunity,” Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam said at a Monday news conference.
Schools across the state are in a tough spot as they prepare to start a year of in-person learning.
That’s why state leaders are hoping schools will help drive up vaccination numbers among those who can get a shot, and test students who can’t get one as often as possible.
“We know students and teachers are really looking forward to returning to their classrooms. So let’s do everything we can to make sure they’re safe while they’re teaching, learning and growing together,” Education Secretary Noe Ortega said.
Schools that opt in to the new testing program are able to have students perform a light swab of their nostrils on their own while in the classroom, a process the company administering them touts as “more efficient.” Students who have difficulty doing that on their own will receive help, the company said.
Beam acknowledged not every school district in the state will sign up to host a vaccine clinic or allow free testing. She called on parents and other organizers to steer school boards and leaders in that direction.
“Parents are going to be some of the strongest advocates for putting this testing in place,” Beam said. “We’d like them to speak with their school leadership and really seize this opportunity.”
Separately, the CDC has repeatedly said anyone who enters a school environment this fall should be wearing a mask. Despite that, Pennsylvania’s Health Department said it’s letting districts decide whether to require them. Beam said Monday there is “no discussion” happening on whether to reinstate a statewide masking order for schools.
Since voters in the May primary approved a constitutional amendment effort that limited a governor’s emergency authority, the Wolf administration has all but avoided directly ordering places like schools to mask up or socially distance, as it had in the past.
“We must continue to work together to maintain healthy and safe conditions for our students, our teachers and our school staff now and into the future as required,” Ortega said.
The Associated Press and WITF’s democracy reporter Jordan Wilkie are partnering to tell stories about how Pennsylvania elections work, and to debunk misinformation surrounding elections.