BATON ROUGE - In an effort to keep schools open and operating safely during the pandemic, LDH has created a program to provide students, faculty and staff with free, weekly COVID tests.

The PCR tests will be available at any public, private and parochial school in the Greater Baton Rouge area, though schools must register with LDH to participate.

The initiative comes as several schools in the area transition back into the classroom after winter break. School leaders tell WBRZ they were keeping people off of campus to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and because of the shortage of tests at the beginning of the year, it was a bit more difficult to monitor. 

The president of Orion Laboratories in Baton Rouge who handles the testing for LDH's "Safer, Smarter Schools Program," Rachael Slaughter, says the lab continues to get phone calls from parents who are alarmed after hearing of a shortage of tests.

Now, that's not the case, specifically for schools in the following parishes.

East Baton Rouge

Ascension

Iberville

Pointe Coupee

West Baton Rouge

East Feliciana

West Feliciana

The Safer, Smarter Schools Program offers a financial incentive to schools that participate. 

Faculty, staff and students can register for testing here.