LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Los Angeles Unified School District students and staff will continue to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing as the superintendent announced Thursday an extension of the program that was scheduled to end next week.
The district originally planned to end its weekly testing for all students and staff in December, and require tests only for unvaccinated people, but with the Omicron variant of COVID causing a surge in L.A. County cases, testing for all was extended first until the end of January, then again until the end of February.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the testing will continue for now in a statement posted online Thursday.
“At this time, we will continue to test all students and employees weekly and maintain our indoor masking policy,” Carvalho said.
“Los Angeles Unified continues to monitor positivity rates to inform COVID-19 safety protocols, guided by our medical director and in collaboration with our medical partners. Updates to our testing frequency will be shared with the entire Los Angeles Unified family in the coming weeks.”
Meanwhile, the county announced this week that it will allow indoor businesses that verify vaccination statuses to make masking indoors optional for vaccinated guests. The new order goes into effect after midnight Friday.
Carvalho added the county's easing of its indoor mask-wearing requirement will not affect schools. Indoor masks are still required by the state on school campuses, a mandate that is expected to be reviewed at the end of the month.
The outdoor masking mandate at L.A. schools was lifted last week.
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