A new coronavirus testing center in Alameda was forced to close suddenly on Wednesday due to an insurance liability issue, to the chagrin of hundreds of people waiting in line to get tested.
The facility organized by a city partnership with CityHealth Urgent Care at the Marina Village Research Park was the first COVID-19 test site in Alameda and was scheduled to remain open seven days a week until September 22, said the city. It is a so-called rapid test center, where test results are obtained in approximately 15 minutes.
“There was an unexpected and unfortunate problem with liability insurance coverage,” the city said in a statement. “To allow the site to be reconfigured to ensure safe and efficient testing and to address insurance issues, the new facility is temporarily pausing operations.”
CityHealth Urgent Care and the owner are working on a solution to resume testing as quickly as possible, the city said.
Dozens of people lined up to take the test on Wednesday had to be rejected due to the closure. Others who made appointments for later in the week were equally frustrated, including some who showed up Thursday morning unaware that the center had been closed.
The latest testing updates in Alameda and throughout the Bay Area can be found at www.alamedaca.gov/covidtesting.
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