Alhambra district students return to campus with new rules for COVID testing, masks

MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (KABC) -- Students in the Alhambra Unified School District returned to campus Tuesday, with nervousness not just about making new friends and meeting new teachers, but keeping on top of the latest pandemic rules.

Some rules regarding COVID-19 have been modified from the last school year.

Masks are encouraged but no longer required.

Testing may be less frequent this year.

Last year a grant funded the schools weekly testing protocols, but now that money is gone.

School leaders say this year they only have enough tests for the next four weeks.

"Obviously we wish we had a larger supply and we hope the state and the government will help us with that," said Candace Griego, principal at Brightwood School. "We do advise and recommend families order the free COVID tests they have available from the federal government."

The district is asking students and staff to test only if they experience symptoms, and if positive to self-isolate for five days, and test again on the fifth day, reporting all results to the district.

"We're hoping that as a community everyone does their part and if their child is sick they keep them home," Griego said. "We need to be responsible as a community to make sure our staff and students are healthy and we can keep our schools open."