There are various of tests used to determine if someone has been effected with Covid-19, but the main ones being used are the nasal swab and the mouth swab. Most people find the nasal swab to be super uncomfortable because is it pushed in so far into you nose and that is not a feeling that many people like to experience.

Yet it is the more accurate test to see if you have been infected with the virus. The mouth swab is more comfortable because you take the swab and swab your mouth for about 20 seconds and you are done. It is also very accurate to determine if you have the virus.

At Birmingham, we use the mouth swab. Once a week, medical professionals wheel carts around campus and Covid-19 test the entire school. This is to make sure no one is testing positive. This is great because it is keeping the school campus secure and safe.

At BCCHS, we also do a daily screening on our phone or on paper.  This is done every day before we enter school campus. It’s just two simple questions saying if we have been exposed to anyone with Covid-19 or if we have any symptoms related to the virus. There is also hand sanitizer offered in front of the school followed by extra masks just in case (and in each classroom as well) to ensure we are as bacteria and virus free as possible. There are also portable sinks all over the school campus where you can wash your hands without having to go to the bathroom.

Before in-person school started, the school required everyone to have been tested before entering the campus. Those who had been vaccinated must also have proof of vaccination which is emailed to the school nurse.

People over 12 years old are now allowed to get the vaccine. It has also been recently approved for five year olds and older. They are only allowed to receive the Pfizer vaccines unless they are over 18 years old.

There are about three types of vaccines:

1. Pfizer-BioNTech
2. Moderna
3. Johnson & Johnson /Janssen

If you are against the vaccine or not vaccinated, there are many places for you to get tested.  There are certain places where you can pay a fee in order to be tested. But, here at Birmingham, it’s free for all students and staff. A test can go from about $36 to $143  here in California depending where you get tested.

All Covid-19 tests are sent to the lab. They will try and go through all the tests as fast as possible. Let’s say a student here at Birmingham has tested positive on campus. They will contact their parent or guardian and they will be quarantined for about 1-2 weeks. They will also send the people that were exposed to Covid-19 to go quarantine for about one week. This keeps the virus away from other students and not make it easy to spread to anyone else. They will also be tested various times making sure they are safe to come back to school and continue their learning.