Chicago Public Schools distributing 150K COVID testing kits for students to use over winter break

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Public Schools will distribute 150,000 take-home COVID-19 testing kits and is encouraging parents to have their students tested on December 28.

Parents who receive their take-home tests can drop them off at a FedEx dropoff location the same day.

CPS used the COVID Vulnerability Index to determine where the tests will be distributed. All schools that are designated as high risk or medium risk will provide students with the take-home tests.

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"Research shows us that most of the COVID cases we see in CPS are not because of in-school spread - they are due to social situations like playdates and family gatherings that have fewer protections in place than our schools," said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. "We know that families will be gathering for the holidays, so we are providing these tests to our students who may be at most risk so we can reduce the spread of COVID and protect our school communities. I want to thank our partner Thermo Fisher for working closely with us to get as many tests as possible to our schools and our families ahead of the break."

Families that do not get take-home tests are encouraged to test students over winter break, with opportunities available at cps.edu/youthcovidtesting.