More than 900 Massachusetts schools participating in COVID-19 pool testing Share Updated: 12:21 PM EST Feb 26, 2021 More than 900 Massachusetts schools participating in COVID-19 pool testing Share Updated: 12:21 PM EST Feb 26, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript NOW TO DHE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS. DOZENS OF SCHOOLS ARE USING POOL TESTING AS ANOTHER TOOL TO PROTECT STUDENTS AND STAFF AND KEEP KIDS IN CLASS. GOVERNOR BAKER GETTING A FIRST HAND LOOK AT HOW IT WORKS. NEWSCENTER 5’S MATT REED IS LIVE IN NEWBURYPORT AT A SCHOOL TAKING PART IN THE PROGRAM MATT: THEY ARE HOPING THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES WILL FOLLOW SUIT. GOVERNOR BAKER VISITING NEWBURYPORT THIS MORNING, ONE OF APPROXIMATELY 159 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR COVID POOL TESTING. GOVERNOR BAKER: WE’RE LOOKING TO FIND A RELATIVELY UNCOMPLICATED WAY FOR SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT WEEKLY SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM. MATT: UNDER THE PROGRAM, SWABS ARE COLLECTED FROM A GROUP OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, AND GO INTO ONE TUBE TO BE TESTED TOGETHER. IF THE POOL IS NEGATIVE, ALL THE INDIVIDUALS ARE PRESUMED NEGATIVE. BUT IF THE POOL SAMPLE IS POSITIVE, ALL THE INDIVIDUALS ARE RETESTED INDIVIDUALLY, TO FIND THE POSITIVE CASE OR CASES. CATHY RICCIO, WHO WAS HONORED TODAY AS THE MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL NURSE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR, IS OVERSEEING THE TESTING PROGRAM FOR NEWBURYPORT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >> IT’S A WAY OF IDENTIFYING, NO -- IDENTIFY A PERSON WHO HAS NO IDEA THEY HAVE THE VIRUS AND THAT IMMEDIATELY REDUCES SPREAD. MATT: BUT TEACHERS UNIONS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY CALLING FOR EDUCATORS TO BE VACCINATED BEFORE RETURNING TO THE CLASSROOM. GOVERNOR BAKER SAYS PENDING SUPPLY FROM THE FEDS, TEACHERS SHOULD START RECEIVING THEIR SHOTS IN MID-MARCH. AS THE STATE EYES OPENING ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FULL-TIME, FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING IN APRIL, WITH THE STATE PAYING THE BI FOR POOL TESTING UNTIL APRIL 18. >> WE ARE TRYING TO BEGIN THE PROCESS TO HELP PEOPLE GET THEIR KIDS INTO SCHOOL. TT: ONLY ABOUT A OF SCHOOL THIRD DISTRICTS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR POOL TESTING, BUT EXPECT AN INCREASE NEXT WEEK. BAKER GOVERNOR BAKER: -- GOVERNOR BAKER AND WE HAVE THE RESOURCES : AND THE CAPABILITY TO DO THIS FOR FREE MUCH EVERYBODY, AND I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO SEE HOW IT’S WORKING AT AP ARE INSTITUTION.