Framingham Students To Get Rapid Coronavirus Tests

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Thousands of Framingham students will get rapid coronavirus test kits to take home this week, part of a wider testing effort in the city amid a sharp rise in cases locally and across the state.

School nurses will distribute about 3,500 tests on Tuesday to students whose families are economically disadvantaged. The distribution is a joint effort between Framingham Public Schools (FPS), Mayor Charlie Sisitsky and Framingham Health Director Alex DePalo.

The tests going out on Tuesday are part of a larger shipment of 10,000 rapid test kits Framingham received from the state in December. The city handed out an initial round of tests after Christmas. Residents can apply to receive a rapid test kit in a second application round set for Tuesday.

“This is part of my overall plan to swiftly distribute the remainder of 10,000 kits, received from the state in December, throughout our community by the end of the week," Sisitsky said in a news release on Monday evening.

Coronavirus cases in Massachusetts are at the highest levels dating back to the beginning of the pandemic. The state on Monday reported 31,184 new cases detected over the weekend, and that the statewide seven-day, average positivity rate was 20.67 percent.

Testing has also been difficult with state-run PCR testing sites in Marlborough, Worcester and Ashland seeing long lines in recent weeks. Rapid antigen tests provide guidance for whether a person should isolate, although health officials say PCR tests are more reliable for confirming the presence of virus.

FPS said in a news release that students who feel sick should stay home, and need to test negative before returning to school. FPS also offers voluntary pooled testing for students in kindergarten to 12th grade.