SLO County will dramatically expand free coronavirus testing with 2 new clinics
Free testing for COVID-19 will be available to grocery store clerks, workers at care facilities, public employees and others beginning next week at two new San Luis Obispo County clinics, public health announced Thursday.
New testing clinics in Paso Robles and Grover Beach will begin taking appointments for testing in early May as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s goal to increase testing capacity statewide.
Together, they will be able to test more than 260 people each day. In comparison, the county’s Public Health Lab has a capacity of 50 tests a day.
Here’s what you need to know about the new testing sites:
What kind of testing? Testing will determine if the Coronavirus Disease 2019 is active in the body. This is not an antibody test.
Who can get tested at the clinics?
- Healthcare workers and first responders
- 65 and older, or any age with chronic medical conditions
- Residents or employees of congregate care living facilities
- Workers in essential jobs, which includes utilities, grocery, food supply, and public employees
- Anyone exhibiting one or more symptoms of COVID-19
- The county will evaluate testing capacity each week with the goal of expanding testing availability to all community members.
When and where? Testing will be available by appointment only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Paso Robles Veterans Hall, 240 Scott St. in Paso Robles, and Ramona Garden Community Center, 993 Ramona Ave. in Grover Beach.
How do I schedule an appointment? Registration for appointments will begin May 2. The online registration link can be found at emergencySLO.org/en/state-sponsored-testing-sites or you can register by phone at 888-634-1123.
Contract to expand testing across California
Up until now, access to testing has generally been limited to people showing symptoms or those who had contact with a confirmed carrier.
That’s starting to change, and the new clinics are the next step to expand testing.
Earlier this month, Newsom said 86 new sites will soon open across the state with an emphasis on “testing deserts,” which include rural areas and “black and brown communities.”
The state contracted with OptumServe for 80 of those locations, including in SLO County. The company is expanding testing across the country, including throughout California, with government contracts.
“More testing is absolutely essential to understanding the local epidemiology of this disease,” said Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein. “This partnership is an important step in the right direction.”
The new clinics in Paso Robles and Grover Beach are expected to have the capacity to test up to 132 samples a day at each location.
The county’s public lab has the capacity to test around 50 a day.
Combined with tests conducted by private labs, the county has confirmed that nearly 2,900 tests have been conducted so far, but more have actually been administered because negative tests at private labs have only been counted since April 13.
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 7:32 PM.
