‘An incredibly important tool’: Omicron could mean more COVID-19 testing for day care centers

Every employee at Ellis Early Learning, an early childhood education and care provider serving more than 250 kids in the Boston area, is tested weekly for the coronavirus. The free screening has paid off: In part by detecting positive cases early, Ellis has managed to avoid internal spread at its centers since it started regular testing about a year ago.

The screening, possible through what's now a statewide child care testing program in Massachusetts, has proved especially valuable given the omicron-driven surge in cases – as well as the challenge of working with young children who struggle to maintain social distance and wear masks.