COVID Test-To-Stay Program Launched At Warren Schools

WARREN, NJ — A test-to-stay program is in full gear at Warren Township Schools in an effort to keep unvaccinated students inside classrooms.

"This week, the district piloted the Test to Stay program and has now launched it for all students and staff members who meet the program requirements, as outlined by NJDOH," said Superintendent Dr. Matthew Mingle.

Ahead of the game, the Warren Township Board of Education approved a Test-to-Stay program in December in advance of New Jersey Department Of Health's guidelines.

During the Dec. 20 meeting, Mingle gave a presentation on how the district will implement it.

Test-to-Stay consists of contact tracing and testing that is sequentially repeated to allow school-associated close contacts who are not fully vaccinated.

"It's a way to keep them in school even during quarantine by testing them on a regular basis," said Mingle during the meeting.

Mingle noted this is already being done in several states across the United States including in California and Illinois and even parts of Europe.

Currently, the district is purchasing tests for the Test-to-Stay program but will transition to state or federally provided tests if they become available.

The Biden administration said Wednesday it will provide 10 million free COVID-19 tests a month to U.S. schools to keep classes in person in New Jersey and elsewhere amid the omicron surge.

The tests — 5 million rapid tests and 5 million lab-based PCR tests — will be available to schools starting this month. Read More: 10M COVID Tests Monthly To U.S. Schools: What It Means In NJ

However, in order for this program to be successful Mingle said it is "dependent on parental consent and strict adherence."

"Keeping students in school facilities is our top priority," said Mingle.

Watch the full presentation on Test-to-Stay below. It begins around 1:12.

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