How is this program funded?

  • The services provided by our program are available at no cost to K-12 schools in Alabama. This is because our program is fully funded by $142 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Federal Funds. This program is in partnership with the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Alabama State Department of Education.

How will we work with your school?

  • Through an RFI (Request for Information) process, UAB identified an official testing vendor. UAB and the testing vendor work with schools to develop a process to obtain nasal swab samples of kindergarten through 12th grade students, faculty, and staff to test for asymptomatic COVID-19 infection.
  • The UAB team works with schools and districts to launch any additional safety services that school or district chooses to offer. Decisions on available services are made at the district level for public schools, and at the school level in private schools. Districts and private schools are not required to opt in for all program services to participate, rather they may choose which of the program offerings they would like to utilize from a menu of optional services available.
  • The UAB team works with schools to determine how our program will work best for their individual school environments with a goal of minimal interruption to the educational environment.   

Why should your school implement our COVID-19 mitigation measures?

  • This program is voluntary, free, and safe.
  • Limited masking
  • Limited social distancing
  • Low vaccination rate in Alabama
  • Variants of COVID-19 continue to develop

What are the benefits of routine COVID-19 Testing in schools?

  • Routine screening of people without symptoms will reduce the “silent” spread of the virus, protecting students, teachers, and staff, as well as those they go home to every day.   
  • Routine testing is the best way to maintain a safe learning environment for Alabama students.