Coronavirus Testing Partnership Aims To Ease Worries For Some Denver Teachers
DENVER (CBS4) - Denver Public Schools announced it will join other area school districts in partnering with Garry Community Investments' COVIDCheck Colorado to get regular testing to teachers and staff.
"We are not going to eliminate all risk, but we can do a lot to lessen risk," Mark Ferrandino said.
Ferrandino is the Chief Operating Officer for DPS. He says it's one tool they are using to help ensure a safe return to school, when the time is right.
"It will allow us to react quickly so we can see what's going on in a building. Do we need to quarantine?" he said.
Josh Emdur is the Medical Director for COVIDCheck Colorado and Clinica Colorado. He believes this type of wide scale testing is going to be in the safe return in both schools and the workplace.
"Most testing has traditionally been done on symptomatic people, but we know with COVID-19 upwards of 50% of cases are caused by people who might not have symptoms. Testing asymptomatic community members really gives us an upper hand," he said.
Anyone with a positive test will know within 72 hours or less, and Emdur says they will have immediate access to a telehealth provider, like himself, to talk next steps.
"Really provide that information and reassurance and then connect patients to the appropriate resources," he said.
For Ferrandino and other districts now committed to regular testing, the hope is it will be one more resource to help ease anxiety once their doors are open again.
"We want to make sure we are providing the safest possible way to bring staff and students back," he said.
