Rapid Antigen Screening of Students and Staff for SARS-CoV-2 in Rural School Districts, Pierce County, WA, 2020

During fall 2020 in rural Pierce County, Washington, school districts and the county health department offered weekly rapid antigen screening to students and staff. Asymptomatic screening identified 42.5% of confirmed cases from the population. Parents reported it was a positive experience for their children. The program supported decisions to return to in-person learning, but screening ended because of resource and technical limitations. When planning in-school screening, stakeholder engagement and resource sustainability are important factors to consider. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(8):1134–1137. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306875 )