News Update

West Contra Costa Unified distributes 15,000 at-home Covid tests in quick turnaround

Moving quickly, West Contra Costa Unified managed to distribute 15,000 at-home Covid tests to students before they returned to school Monday from the long holiday break.

Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pledge to provide at-home rapid tests to all 6 million California students, only about half of them made it out to counties by Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported. West Contra Costa Unified only received its allotment of 28,000 tests Thursday afternoon, district spokesman Ryan Phillips said, as parents grew concerned about whether they would get the tests in time for school.

District administrators quickly teamed up with the local teachers union, the United Teachers of Richmond, to put together drive-up distribution sites Sunday at Pinole Valley High School and Kennedy High School. More than 5,000 cars at the two locations lined up to receive about 15,000 tests.

Phillips said the remainder of the tests will be distributed to schools this week.