COVID rapid tests arrive for Merced County schools. Here’s when they will be available

The Merced County Office of Education received 51,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits from the state this week, which county education officials plan to distribute to the 22 local public school districts.

The announcement was made in a video uploaded to the MCOE Facebook page on Wednesday. County officials ordered the rapid tests last month, and parents will be able to get them starting early the week of Jan. 10.

“These tests will be distributed to all school sites in Merced County, and will be made available to parents to make sure they’re able to test their children anytime they suspect symptoms in their household,” MCOE Superintendent Steve Tietjen said in the video.

“We’re excited that we’re able to do this to keep kids safe and in school.”

Merced Union High School District, one of the largest Merced County public school districts, expected their allocation of test kits to be distributed to school sites Thursday or Friday, and students can bring them home in the following days.

“Families can start requesting them next week,” Sam Yniguez, public information officer for the Merced Union High School District, said on Friday.

The delivery comes as many Merced County school districts are back in session after winter break, and district officials are starting to pick up test kits for their schools, according to MCOE.

“The districts got them yesterday afternoon and today,” said Nathan Quevedo, public information officer for MCOE.

“A lot of deliveries and pickups are happening. The majority of districts are picking up, so districts are coming to us, and we’re also delivering them to our school sites.”

While students aren’t required to take the rapid COVID-19 test to come to school, anyone who does test positive would have to take a more comprehensive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and receive a negative test result before coming back to school.

The distribution of COVID-19 rapid tests to local schools is just one step Merced County Office of Education took to minimize the spread of the virus as students head back to school amid the surge of the omicron variant.

“We are aware that the case rates may increase, so we’re taking a look at all the school special events to see how we can do them safely or if we should postpone them,” Quevedo said.

“We are committed to keeping kids in the classroom because we know that’s the place where they learn the best – with their peers, and with adults who care about their well-being.”

About 90% of the rapid test kits MCOE officials expect were delivered this week, with the rest expected to be disbursed at a future date.

While this distribution is the first time MCOE got rapid test kits from the state, a partnership with United Way of Merced County resulted in 10,000 rapid tests being given to MCOE to give to students and staff in Head Start programs and educational services around the county.

“It’s been really useful and helpful in identifying if someone has symptoms to be able to take that test,” Quevedo said.

The distribution of at-home rapid tests comes as the omicron variant swept through the state, with the cancellation of events over New Year’s Day weekend, delayed returns to in-person instruction in schools and testing systems becoming overwhelmed.

A sharp rise in hospitalizations resulted in 8,032 full hospital beds across California, more than double the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations during Christmas. State officials reported a 47% increase in patients in intensive care from COVID-19 since Dec. 25.

Around 48,613 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Merced County since the beginning of the pandemic and as of this week, according to the Merced County Public Health Department.

The pandemic has killed 709 Merced County residents since March last year, according to County Public Health.

This story was originally published January 6, 2022 at 1:58 PM.