$267M Available For COVID Testing In NJ Schools, Murphy Says

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey school districts will receive financial support from the state to test teachers, staff and students for the coronavirus as the new academic year is set to begin next week.

The state departments of health and education are releasing a combined $267 million to support COVID-19 testing in K-12 school districts throughout the state, Gov. Phil Murphy announced during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

"We are ready for the start of the school year and want everyone to be safe as possible in their schools and classrooms," Murphy said.

Districts can choose between vendors who are contracted by the state and conduct testing on site at the schools, or their own in-house testing programs, as long as those programs meet the department of health's guidelines, Murphy said.

The state funding will be used to supplement the federal program that provides free testing to schools, Murphy said. It is available for both public and non-public schools, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said.

"Given that we don't yet know the extent to which this program will be utilized, we don't know how far this $267 million will ultimately go as we provide these tests at no cost to districts, students or staff," Murphy said.

Murphy said the $267 million is what's available to cover the cost of the program, and if more is needed, the state will use federal money to cover those additional costs.

The funding comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to Persichilli.

Once schools decide if they want to use a vendor or their own program, they can apply for funding. In the case of their own programs, districts can apply to be reimbursed for the money they put out for that testing.

To qualify, school districts must have a testing program developed in concert with their local health department that are based on New Jersey Department of Health guidelines, Persichilli said.

Testing should be offered voluntarily, and schools should get parental permission to test those students under 18, Persichilli said.

"We strongly encourage districts to work with their local health department to develop a testing strategy and consider participating in this program. We further hope all parents and guardians ensure their child participates in testing when the opportunity arises," she said.

"This funding will help schools open safely by providing funding to access resources such as test kits, diagnostic lab services, PPE, and full testing services," Persichilli said.

Diagnostic testing focuses on individuals who are asymptomatic, and screening testing focuses on entire groups. Student screening may not be necessary where there is low transmission, but in areas where there is high transmission, it should be done once a week, Persichilli said.

Officials stressed that testing should not be the only tool schools use to combat the coronavirus. They recommended a layered approach that includes masking, social distancing, hand-washing, and staying home when sick. Read more here: NJ K-12 Students Must Wear Masks This Fall, Gov. Murphy Says

"All K-12 schools are strongly encouraged to develop a screening testing program to identify asymptomatic infections to prevent further transmission in schools," Persichilli said. "Those who are fully vaccinated do not need to participate in routine screening testing."

Murphy said he's sure there will be some "kinks for districts to work out," but he expects districts will continue to be able to adapt.

"The districts have been fantastic partners. Everyone's been extraordinary for a year and a half," Murphy said. "The virus has given all of us a lot to handle, and they've done an exceptional job."

The announcement of the funding comes a week after Murphy announced that all school teachers and staff, as well as state employees, must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 18 or face weekly testing. Read more here: NJ Teachers, State Employees Must Be Vaccinated Or Face Testing

As of Wednesday, 55 percent of children ages 12-17 in New Jersey have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 44 percent are full vaccinated.