MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As schools across Shelby County are gearing up to welcome back their students, the United Education Association is offering teachers free COVID-19 tests. The goal is to designed to keep them and everyone else in the school safe. The coronavirus test are free, and they are sponsored by both the United Education Association and the city.
Teachers across the county have expressed their concerned about this school year amid the ongoing pandemic. Lisa Jorgensen, an English teacher at Grahamwood Elementary, said she was ready to take advantage of the free testing.
“I was one of the first people in line this morning,” Jorgensen said. “(I’m) number 5 in line to get tested.”
Jorgensen says when she returns to school in a few weeks, she plans to teach students at their homes while she is in her classroom. She says getting tested is very important to her because there are people who she lives with who make be considered at high-risk because of their age.
“I am in a household with several older people,” Jorgensen said. “None of them want to get sick, and they especially don’t want to die. (That’s) why this free testing is so important.”
Jorgensen says it is important for the community to come together and keep each other safe. She says if people get tested, then they are able to identify if there is a cluster and get ahead of the virus. She says that is why the teachers union and the United Education Association, partnered with the city of Memphis to offer the free COVID-19 tests for the Shelby County teachers and faculty.
Danette Stokes, president of the United Education Association in Shelby County, says they wanted to offer the free COVID-19 tests for the teachers and faculty so they would not have to worried about getting sick and focus on doing their jobs.
“We wanted to offer this COVID-19 testing for them to be able to have a little peace of mind,” Stokes said. “I was able to share a lot of the UEA all hands on deck information with the district leaders. It was great experience to be at the table to actually have educators heard as part of the re-entry plan.
The free COVID testing is another way UEA is serving, and for teachers ready to do their job, but wanting to do it safely, this helps.”
The free COVID-19 testing is being held at the Davis Community Center on Spottswood Ave., from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from this coming Friday. In order to get the free test, you must be a Shelby County teacher or faculty member, and you must pre-register here.