Marblehead Students, Staff Urged To COVID-19 Test Post-Thanksgiving

MARBLEHEAD, MA — COVID-19 test kits will be distributed to Marblehead Public Schools students and staff this week with all those within the district urged to utilize the coronavirus tests prior to returning to the classroom next week.

Superintendent John Buckey said on Monday that the district is taking advantage of the test distribution program being offered through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services to offer the tests at Thanksgiving and for the December break.

Students and staff will all receive at-home rapid COVID-19 kits that include two tests per kit.

"Although it is not mandatory we hope everyone will strongly consider testing before returning to school after the Thanksgiving break," Superintendent John Buckey said in a message to the school community.

Building principals will be sharing the distribution details beginning as soon as Monday.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)