D.C. officials also said that school kids will again have to return negative COVID-19 tests ahead of returning to classes after a winter break in February and spring break in April.

Only one school will be virtual until Jan. 17 due to COVID-19 cases among staff and students.

Thousands of rapid COVID-19 tests have been given out to D.C. residents since last week, a stark contrast to supply-starved stores and surrounding jurisdictions with limited or no supply of their own.

School officials say they hope rapid testing will be able to keep more students in school.

As temperatures dip and COVID-19 testing demand remains high, local officials are finding ways to keep outdoor testing sites running through the winter.

More than 25,000 people were swabbed at D.C.’s public testing sites last week, up from an average of 10-12,000.

“While we do not have data on what compelled people to get tested today, it would be hard to imagine that the recent news did not drive more people to do so,” said one city official.

All of those authorized to be on campus, which currently numbers about 4,000 people, are required to get tested once a week.

They will first be deployed in the state’s nursing homes, assisted living centers, juvenile detention centers, and correctional facilities, but there are discussions of sending them to college campuses and dormitories.

A number of urgent care centers and medical facilities either don’t have rapid testing, or provide it only if patients meet strict criteria.