CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD) is continuing to hold their COVID-19 testing sites at some middle schools for students and staff. But, are they still needed?
“I think that it’s important that the testing sites are available,” Therrion Mitchell, parent of the eighth grade student said.
Mitchell and her family had kept COVID-19 at bay. That is until her son came down with the virus on his birthday last week.
“I think having the testing available someplace that’s convenient for families with no cost and no appointments really required, really helps families who may not have the resources to see their pediatrician,” she said.
CCISD holds COVID-19 testing at Baker and Kaffie Middle Schools, Monday through Friday.
As for what the community is seeing with COVID-19 cases in children, Driscoll Children’s Hospital has seen an increase in positive cases.
“Even though we have more children, the severity of the illness that we have seen so far, is less than what we saw with Delta,” Director of infectious diseases for the hospital Dr. Jaime Fergie said.
Fergie added many cases have been children coming to the hospital for other reasons, but they need to be tested for COVID-19, per protocols.
Knowing this, he said he would warn against testing children just for the sake of testing.
“A lot of children, adolescents, adults who feel perfectly well and you can detect (COVID-19) from them," Fergie said. "So, you have to think really carefully before you begin testing people who have no symptoms. What are you going to do? What’s the purpose?”
Mitchell still has concerns for sending her child to school, but knows it’s necessary.
“We know there are kids in the school that aren’t vaccinated," Mitchell said. "There are kids in the school who are not going to follow safety protocols. Our students might not be following the safety protocols. It’s just something that we have to accept. So, I am concerned. I give my mom speech every morning.”
Mitchell said it would also be helpful if the CCISD testing sites could open sometime on the weekends, as well.
Testing sites at Baker Middle School and Kaffie Middle School are open 8 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Children 5 years and older are able to get a Covid-19 vaccine.
Vaccine Sites are open daily throughout Corpus Christi.
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