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California Sends 14.3 Million Covid-19 Tests To Schools As Students And Staff Return From Spring Break

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- The state has issued more than 14.3 million COVID-19 at-home examinations to schools for students and staff over the past month, with around 7.2 million students and employees returning from spring break.

"California is focused on keeping schools open and students safe, and we're not letting our guard down," said Governor Newsom. "We know that COVID-19 is still present in our communities, but the SMARTER Plan is how we keep people safe and continue moving the state forward."

In addition to these tests, the state has made personal protective equipment (PPE) available to any school that requires it, with approximately 40.6 million KN95s, N95s, and surgical masks issued to schools since the start of the school year.

"California has become a national leader in preventing school closures and keeping students in the classroom. As the New York Times highlighted in mid-October, California did "remarkably well limiting outbreaks," accounting for 1% of the nation's school closures despite educating 12% of the nation's students. By the start of winter break, the state improved that rate to 0.3% of the nation's school closures," said the Governor's Office.

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