San Antonio Billionaire Wants To Test Every K-12 Student For COVID-19

A San Antonio billionaire is wanting to test every student in the city from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade for COVID-19.

Mass testing began on Wednesday at Somerset Independent School District by Community Labs, a nonprofit backed by former Rackspace Technology CEO Graham Weston.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Weston is hoping to expand this testing to every student in San Antonio.

Community Labs is using PCR tests that are considered "the gold standard" for accuracy. These tests cost $35 each. Somerset ISD is receiving the tests for free.

Weston caught the coronavirus from his son, which helped him realize that asymptomatic spreaders demand more attention. Ever since, he has tried to persuade politicians and business leaders to test "silent spreaders."

Weston told the Express-News, "We can never really suppress the virus and give people the confidence to go back when we have silent spreaders walking through our population."

Somerset ISD is planning to test every student and staff member every week, with parental permission, and have at-home procedures in place for those that test positive.

Somerset ISD Superintendent Saul Hinojosa stated, "I'm hoping that within two weeks we'll be able to go full-scale at all out campuses- every employee, every student."

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