LAUSD: All students, teachers must show proof of negative COVID-19 test before returning to campus

The Los Angeles Unified School District announced Monday that all students and staff – regardless of their vaccination status – must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to campus.

The announcement comes as Los Angeles County continues to see a surge in coronavirus cases across the area. On Sunday Los Angeles County Public Health revealed nearly 45,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported over the weekend, with 23,533 new cases for Saturday and 21,200 new cases Sunday.

LAUSD pushed back the first day of the spring semester for students to Tuesday, January 11. School staff and students can start getting a baseline test starting Monday, January 3.

On Tuesday, the California Department of Public Health laid out its plans to distribute tests to districts around the state, saying that the department delivered 3 million tests last week across multiple counties. That however is only enough to test every LAUSD student (not including faculty or staff) a handful of times. 

In addition, millions of other tests that have been sent out have failed to get to school districts, according to the apartment. 

"About 1.5 million tests are anticipated to arrive in the state’s warehouse today which will immediately be shipped to counties across the state," the department said in a statement. "These efforts will ensure California schools remain among the safest in the nation."

RECOMMENDED: LA County schools resume classes amid surge in local COVID cases, UC schools remote

For more information on LAUSD's safety protocols, click here.

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