Pasadena Schools Face Shortage Of COVID-19 Tests

PASADENA, CA — The Pasadena Unified School District began weekly COVID-19 testing for staff members and students on Aug. 30 and has already a speed bump: There aren’t enough testing kits.

Superintendent Brian McDonald announced a production backlog from the distributor that supplies the district's testing kits because an expected shipment didn’t show up Friday.

The district was still able to get 600 additional tests from a nearby Sam’s Club as a stopgap solution until the backlog is resolved, McDonald told Pasadena Now.

Testing priority will be given to students who show COVID-19 symptoms or have possibly been exposed to the virus, McDonald said. Unvaccinated students participating in athletics will also be given priority.

“During the times reserved for testing at school sites, we will be focusing on promoting vaccination and obtaining informed consent from parents for testing when we receive a new shipment of test kits,” he said.

The weekly tests are part of the district's strategy to curb the spread of the coronavirus now that students have returned for on-campus instruction.

Starting this month, any PUSD student 12 or older was required to get a COVID-19 vaccine or face weekly screening tests.

Every teacher in the district was also required to get vaccinated under a mandate issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom in August requiring all California teachers to be vaccinated.