The Richmond School District is getting about 7,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits – two per employee – from the province, meant for staff experiencing symptoms of the virus.
Across the province, 200,000 rapid antigen test kits in total are being sent out to school districts, earmarked for staff, teachers and administrators.
The test kits came from Artron Laboratories, a Burnaby-based company, and they are expected to arrive this week.
The province has also provided the Richmond School District with $339,000 to buy air purifiers for all classrooms that don't have mechanical ventilation. These are expected to be in classrooms this week.
Until now, classrooms without mechanical ventilation systems had their windows open and heat cranked up to keep air circulating in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
More funding for further ventilation improvements and upgrades in K-12 public schools will soon be made available, according to the province.
According to David Sadler, the school district’s spokesperson, there has been some “heightening” of staff taking sick leave absences in January.
But, he added, they have “workforce planning strategies” in place to allow them to keep instruction going in schools.
Last week, the province announced school districts have to collect information on vaccination rates, but it stopped short of mandating vaccines for school district staff, something the teachers’ union has been calling for.
