A Southern Nevada Health District nurse draws vaccine into a syringe during a COVID-19 pop-up vaccination clinic, for seniors age 70 and above, in the gymnasium of Jerome Mack Middle School Friday, Jan. 29, 2021.
Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021 | 2 a.m.
The Clark County School District is asking the School Board to approve a $2 million contract for random, mandatory COVID-19 testing for all employees.
The testing is part of an agreement between the district and the Clark County Education Association approved in January to reopen schools, which have been closed since last March because of the pandemic.
Pre-kindergarten through third-grade students will return to the classroom two days a week starting March 1. They will continue to work from home via computer the other three school days.
No plans have been announced yet to get older students back to school.
The agreement between the district and the teachers union outlines coronavirus safety protocols, including random testing in every school building.
“If you’re a staffer in that building and you get selected, then you’re going to have to take the test,” said John Vellardita, executive director of the teachers union.
The School Board will vote tonight on a contract with Fulgent Genetics to provide the testing. A federal grant would cover the costs.
Under a one-year contract, Fulgent would randomly test 10% to 20% of school district employees each month.
“There’s an algorithm that determines how many you should test based on the population to mitigate the transmission of the virus,” Vellardita said.
The Southern Nevada Health District would conduct contact tracing following a positive COVID‐19 test.
Under the district’s agreement with the union, testing will be done when there are no students in the building, Vellardita said.
