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The V.I. Department of Health will conduct Covid-19 testing of V.I. Department of Education students and school-based staff on May 2 and 3, due to the increased rate of Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations territory-wide.
According to D.O.H., there were 345 active infections territory-wide as of Thursday: 201 on St. Croix, 141 on St. Thomas and 3 on St. John. The territory's positivity rate stood at 8.70 percent Thursday.
“While we anticipated an increase in positive cases during the Carnival season, infections have been showing up at a concerning rate and we want to do everything we can to ensure that students and school-based staff are as safe as possible before they return to their school campuses,” said Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion.
According to the release, all school-based employees and students in grades 7-12 will be tested on Mon., May 2. Public schools will remain closed that day. Students and staff receiving negative Covid-19 test results on Mon., May 2 will resume in-person learning on Tues., May 3. All prekindergarten and elementary students will be tested on Tues., May 3, and those with negative Covid-19 test results will resume in-person learning on Wed., May 4. Testing will also be conducted on May 4 for students and staff who were not tested on the previous days.
Parents who wish to test their children at a private lab may do so at their own expense. Parents/guardians with multiple students at multiple schools may test all on one day. Faculty and staff may test with their school aged children on May 2.
Covid-19 Mass Testing Schedule for VIDE Students/School-based Employees Monday, May 2, 2022 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
All school-based employees, school bus drivers, and students in grades 7-12 St. Croix
- D.C. Canegata Ballpark
- St. Croix Educational Complex Parking Lot
COVID-19 Mass Testing for Public School Students, Staff on May 2 and 3 April 28, 2022 St. Thomas
- Old Cinema One Parking Lot
- Joseph E. Gomez School Field
St. John
- VIPA Gravel Lot (all JESS and IEKHS students residing on St. John test on May 2) Tuesday, May 3, 2022 from 9a.m. – 4 p.m. All prekindergarten-6 th grade students
St. Croix
- D.C. Canegata Ballpark
- St. Croix Educational Complex Parking Lot
St. Thomas
- Old Cinema One Parking Lot
- Joseph E. Gomez School Field
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 from 9a.m. – 4 p.m.
All students, school-based employees, and bus drivers who did not test on the previous dates St. Croix
- D.C. Canegata Ballpark
- St. Croix Educational Complex Parking Lot
St. Thomas
- Old Cinema One Parking Lot
- Joseph E. Gomez School Field
St. John
- VIPA Gravel Lot
Students and staff are urged to pre-register for Department of Health mass testing at the following links:
St. Croix
https://vitests-stx.usvi.care/schooltesting
St. Thomas
https://vitests-stt.usvi.care/schooltesting
St. John
https://vitests-stj.usvi.care/schooltesting
Pre-registration may also be accessed from the DOH website here by choosing “Sign Up for a School Testing.” Parents and school-based staff should receive test results on the same day of testing. If results are not received, inquiries may be emailed to [email protected].
