Arizona State University and the state’s health department are providing free COVID-19 testing for teachers and staff in 14 different school districts throughout the state.

Michelle Villegas-Gold oversees health and clinical research at ASU. She says the school districts have a couple of ways to take advantage of the covid-19 testing program. 

“They can do this through randomized testing of asymptomatic teachers and staff on a weekly basis to detect the disease in people who don’t feel sick or have any symptoms but are still at risk of transmitting the virus without knowing it,” Villegas-Gold said. 

Villegas-Gold says most schools have opted out of the randomized testing. Although two school districts have started it this week and one will start in May. 

She also says there are many benefits to getting teachers and staff tested in the school districts.

She says, “It really signals to parents and students that schools are sort of going over and beyond to make sure that these environments are safe areas for students to go and learn.“

Villegas-Gold says teachers and staff can make an account with the ASU lab and walk into any of the ASU and Arizona Department of Health Services affiliated testing sites without an appointment and free of charge.