Over 500 Parents Sign Up For Voluntary COVID-19 Testing in West Hartford Schools

Hundreds of parents have signed their elementary school-aged kids up for voluntary COVID-19 testing in West Hartford.

School officials announced that they're partnering with the state of Connecticut to provide voluntary pooled testing to students in grades K-6. Only students whose parents have signed them up would participate in the testing.

The school district said over 500 parents have already signed their children up for testing, which could begin as early as next week.

"We are hopeful that vaccinations for those under twelve will be approved soon, which will provide another level of safety," Superintendent Tom Moore said in a statement.

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A total of over 90% of West Hartford Public School students in grades 7-12 are vaccinated. This is the highest rate in Hartford County, according to school officials.

"While we have seen some schools forced to cancel sports events due to the number of students in quarantine, our kids have been able to play all of their games without interruption. This high vaccination rate, both in our schools and in our community, will continue to serve us well as we move into the colder months," Moore said.