Benzinga | Jul 19, 2021 10:30AM EDT

Quidel Says State Of Delaware Selects Co For COVID-19 Testing Program At Schools; Terms Not Disclosed

Quidel Corporation (NASDAQ:QDEL) ("Quidel"), a leading provider of rapid diagnostic testing solutions, cellular-based virology assays and molecular diagnostic systems, announced today that it is entering a partnership with the State of Delaware to implement a full-service, turn-key COVID-19 testing program to support the reopening of K-12 schools in the fall through its new service provider, Quidel Services, LLC.

Under Quidel's full-service program, Quidel will be responsible for staffing test locations, coordinating sample collection, running the tests, and reporting results to the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) and the participating schools and school districts to provide asymptomatic COVID-19 screening. Students and faculty that opt-in to the COVID-19 screening program will be tested with Quidel's rapid antigen tests.

DPH and Delaware's Department of Education will launch the initiative at five pilot schools for summer school enrollees. Quidel can expand the program to all of the State's K-12 schools when classrooms fully reopen for the fall semester. Under the optional program, parental permission is required for participating students.

"There is no greater need or responsibility than the safe reopening of our K-12 classrooms to all Delaware children -- especially our youngest learners and disadvantaged children who need in-person instruction the most," said Delaware Governor John Carney. "Regular COVID-19 testing is an important part of our comprehensive mitigation strategy to get all students back to in-person learning while reassuring parents that we are committed to keeping their children safe while at school."

"From the start of the pandemic to today's partnership with the State of Delaware, our dual purpose has been to create diagnostic technologies for the protection of human life, and to make them widely available so families can return to the joys of living and learning with greater peace of mind," said Douglas Bryant, president and CEO of Quidel Corporation. "Working with the State of Delaware, Quidel is taking a truly market-leading step on that journey by introducing a complete testing-as-a-service model with a goal of detecting COVID-19 infections early and protect children, their classmates, teachers and families from potential spread. Every day that we shut coronavirus down will be a day that we keep classrooms open."

Dr. Richard Pescatore, DPH Chief Physician, said, "We are committed to ensuring student, educator and staff safety as we reopen schools and associated student activities. We will monitor results from weekly school testing closely to identify trends and provide schools with the best guidance possible based on that data. The surest defenses against COVID-19 are vigilant screening and surveillance. Our rapid antigen in-school testing program with Quidel makes that possible."