RCSD teachers, staff required to get vaccinated or face weekly tests

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC)— The Rochester City School District Wednesday announced its teachers and staff will have to be vaccinated for COVID-19, or face weekly testing come the fall.

In a letter obtained by News10NBC, the district says vaccinated staff who present their confirmed vaccination status by Sept.3 will not face the testing requirement. The weekly testing will begin on Sept.6.

Rochester Teachers Association President Adam Urbanski confirmed the letter’s validity.

The district says weekly testing will need to take place outside the staff member’s work hours and may be completed at any local Walgreens Pharmacy without cost to the staff member. The district previously partnered with Walgreens in running vaccine clinics. RCSD says any site will work, but the partnership allows for the pharmacy to directly send testing info to the district, versus having staff manually submit their results.

View a copy of the letter below. Mobile users click here.

RCSD COVID 19 Weekly Testing 08182021 by News10NBC on Scribd

If a staff member gets vaccinated after the Sept.3 deadline, they will still have to undergo testing until the status can be confirmed. A separate policy letter sent out says staff will not be allowed to return to any district property if they refuse to get tested.

With the move, the district became the first in Monroe County to publicly announce this kind of policy.

This is a developing story, stay tuned to News10NBC for updates.