January 11, 2022 - ChaddsFordLive.com

New COVID-19 test sites in ChesCo

The Chester County Health Department has finalized two additional locations for COVID-19 testing providers to establish free test sites, available by appointment around the county. Free PCR testing is now available at the Chester County Government Services Center, Westtown Road in West Chester. A second testing site opens today, Tuesday, Jan 11, at the Technical College High School – Pennock’s Bridge Campus, located at 280 Pennock’s Bridge Road in West Grove.

Both of these locations will be independently operated by the testing company Curative, which will manage test site locations, logistics, and schedules, as well as appointments. Further testing locations are being rolled out across Chester County and will be announced in the coming days.

Weblinks to all test sites around Chester County can be found on the CCHD website,www.chesco.org/coronavirus (click “Testing Information”). This includes the Curative sites located at the Government Services Center and Pennock’s Bridge, as well as pharmacies and urgent care centers. Retail pharmacies such as CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and Walmart are administering tests at their locations free of charge. These links provide details of the test site locations and opening times, as well as access to appointments.

“This time of high demand for all COVID-19 PCR and antigen tests, which follows the holiday season, means that all test providers are experiencing a tremendous volume of work, and most are undertaking testing by appointment only,” said CCHD Director Jeanne Franklin. “We ask anyone needing a test to check regularly for the availability of appointments at all locations.”

“If you cannot find a test and are experiencing COVID-like symptoms, it is recommended that you stay home for five days and limit your interaction with others.”

Reporting At-Home Positive Test Results

The Chester County Health Department is asking community members who have received a positive result from an at-home COVID-19 test to report this to the Health Department under the “Testing Information” section of www.chesco.org/coronavirus.

“Reporting of positive-only results from at-home tests helps us to understand how the virus is spreading in our communities and ensures those who test positive receive the most current information regarding isolation and notifying their close contacts,” notes Jeanne Franklin. “These results are NOT included as part of our data reporting, and as with any information such as this, it is treated as confidential and would never be shared.”

Vaccine Appointments

The Chester County Health Department continues to offer vaccine appointments, both primary series (first and second doses) and boosters, for all eligible individuals. Health Department vaccine locations are the Government Services Center on Westtown Road in West Chester, and the Kennett Fire Company’s Red Clay Room in Kennett Square.

Appointments through the Chester County Health Department can be made at www.chesco.org/covid19vaccine. Many other COVID-19 vaccine locations throughout the county can be found at www.vaccines.gov.

COVID-19 Data Monitoring

The Chester County Health Department posts weekly data updates which are used to monitor COVID-19 in the county. Reporting includes community transmission, incidence rate, and percent positivity, new cases by age, vaccination levels, test results, and the number of deaths due to COVID-19. The weekly update can be found under the “Weekly Data Update” section of www.chesco.org/coronavirus.

Chester County’s current 7-day county transmission level is high.

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Health and budgets at UCFSD

School & Education

Unionville Chadds Ford School Board members reviewed the current health and safety plan Monday night and voted to approve the proposed preliminary budget for the 2022-2023 school year.

Approving the proposed preliminary budget is the first step in the budget process, and the numbers will change before a final vote in June. The proposed preliminary budget anticipates expenses and revenues to be $98.5 million, up $5.6 million, or 6.06 percent, from the current budget.

Few changes are expected in the health and safety plan. However, possible changes include testing only symptomatic staff and students and reducing quarantine periods from 10 to five days.

A presentation on the plan can be found here.

Superintendent of Schools John Sanville said one thing everyone in the district agrees on is the need to keep schools open with students attending class in person, which is the plan’s goal.

“Our community, our staff, our students have told us loud and clear that it’s important that education take place in person.”

He added that the district follows CDC and Chester County Health Department guidelines, but Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia guidelines are also under consideration. He said that the overall out-of-school health risk is greater than the COVID risk in the schools. Delaware County schools have adopted the CHOP policy, and UCFSD is open to following it, as well. If the district does go that way, it would be the first in Chester County to do so.

The CHOP PolicyLab Guidance calls for continuing indoor masking, having people stay home if they’re feeling ill or have symptoms, but it also allows for COVID-exposed but asymptomatic staff and students to attend classes under a “mask to stay” policy.

Assistant Superintendent Tim Hoffman said the CDC guidelines on masking, social distancing, and other forms of mitigation continue, and they are endorsed by the Chester County Health Department and The Pennsylvania Department of Health. However, the administration is making some recommendations.

Director of Curriculum & Instruction Michael Audevard said the district would continue with the current plan, but there may be changes to the masking policy based on results of community input. According to the presentation, more than 80 percent of the community surveyed supported masking during high community transmission.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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