The New York City Department of Education is now providing four at-home COVID-19 testing kits weekly to each student and asking their families to use them regularly. This announcement was made to students and families on April 27.

As COVID-19 infection rates increase across the city, this is the right move to protect students and families from becoming infected by COVID-19.

Previously, students would receive at-home COVID-19 testing kits if they were in close contact with someone whoreported testing positive for COVID-19 at school. The DOE also gave testing kits to all students before the mid-winter and spring breaks, Chalkbeat reported.

Granting each student an at-home COVID-19 testing kit would streamline the identification of positive cases and help to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak within schools before it is too late.

By waiting to provide testing kits until a positive result is reported, schools run the risk of more students and their family members getting exposed.

Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccinations are not available for children under the age of five, and face coverings have been optional on school grounds since March 7.

In the announcement, the DOE encouraged those eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations to receive them to better protect themselves from COVID-19 infection.

“As a reminder, vaccination is the best tool we have to fight COVID-19 and keep our schools safe for all our students,” the DOE wrote in a press release.

New Yorkers must stay vigilant as COVID-19 cases increase by helping K-12 students keep themselves and their families safe.