OLATHE, Kan. — Many school reopenings are less than a month away, and parents may be wondering if their child is healthy enough to go back. Officials with Johnson County, Kansas want to help.
Dr. Samni Areola, the director of the Johnson County Health Department, said testing is one of the biggest parts of tracking the coronavirus. Now, he said the county will direct 25% of its testing toward kids.
Beginning today at 8 a.m., there’s a free, drive-thru testing site for children at the Health Services Building Olathe Health Clinic at 11875 S. Sunset Drive. Parents must be in the vehicle and give consent. The child must be able to sit still for both nostrils swabbed.
This is by appointment only. The kids must be Johnson County residents.
“We want our kids to be in school, but we want them to be there in a way that is safe,” Dr. Areola said. “We all have the responsibility in the few weeks remaining to do the best that we can to supress transmission.”
Before you go online to book the appointment, check with your primary physician first to see if they have other recommended testing options.
Along with pediatric testing, Dr. Areola said the county will focus on testing for faculty and staff ahead of school.
Find out how you can schedule a test on the Johnson County website.