BUFFALO, N.Y. — When the National Guard delivered 31,000 at-home rapid COVID test kits to the Buffalo Public School district last Saturday, staff worked all weekend to make sure they were "broken down per school and ready to roll out on Monday," according to Dr. Tonja Williams, associate superintendent for student support services for the district.
On Tuesday evening, some parents from Lovejoy Discovery School #43 reached out to 2 On Your Side wondering why their children didn't get a kit.
Dr. Williams said "as of Tuesday, late afternoon, I'm told that all tests had been delivered to schools. Of course, for the tests that arrived yesterday, late afternoon, those tests will go home today (Wednesday)."
Each student will receive one kit that includes two tests.
KN95 masks will be distributed soon as early as Friday, according to Dr. Williams, but they won't be for all students at first.
"We have two different types of KN95. We have some that are clear plastic that fit over children's faces, and for that group of students because those are specifically child-sized, we will be targeting how those are distributed," Dr. Williams said.
She said "students who need speech because it's a clear mask, and you can see the mouth through those masks, our ELL students, Pre-K and kindergarten students will receive those masks."
Currently, the district has 200,000 clear masks. The superintendent said last weekend that the district has ordered an emergency supply of 500,000 KN95 masks.
The available masks should be provided to students on Friday.