With just a few days left until Christmas, many Central Coast residents are trying to get tested for COVID-19. This, with an increase in cases, is now affecting community testing sites.
No appointments are available at many test sites around both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Santa Barbara County officials say the big reason is the upcoming holidays.
Matt Higgs, coordinator of EMS Systems in Santa Barbara County, said some of them may be with related individuals during the holiday season. We saw that during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Higgs is one of Santa Barbara County’s COVID-19 testers and says the availability on the county’s free test sites is currently very low.
Some are fully booked while others have early appointments in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties until Christmas Eve.
The results take even longer.
Shylo tutor Peso Rubles was tested on a county site and called the process fast.
“They walked me back, they tested me and I mean it was a really quick process there. I was in and out because I didn’t feel good,” the tutor said.
The tutor says she was showing symptoms and believes that was the main reason she was able to test quickly.
Others without symptoms find the experience more challenging.
According to Santa Barbara County Public Health, you don’t need to be therapeutic for county testing sites, but it may not be for other medical providers.
“Some clinical providers require that some individuals be pathological before they can be tested, but this is an internal decision based on the organization they provide,” Higgs said.
At the Med Stop Urgent Care in San Louis is Bispo, Dr. Brian Roberts says he is seeing a registered number of more than 100 patients a day who want to be tested.
“I’m going to Hawaii or I’m going to Alaska, I’ve traveled a bit of what I’ve planned, so it’s a bit more of a trip or seeing relatives right now,” Dr. Roberts said.
Although holiday travel has been frustrated by local health officials, both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are expected to be affected at test sites during and after the holiday.
Because of that, Santa Barbara County officials say, they plan to expand their test sites very soon.
Prices for COVID-19 testing on non-county sites can range from કિંમત 100 to 100.
If you are interested in a quick test, Religious-Assistance and CVS offer testing in both SLO and Santa Barbara counties.
For more information on test sites, you can visit –
Santa Barbara County COVID-19 Test Website:
https://publichealthsbc.org/testing/
San Louis Obispo County COVID-19 Test Website:
https://www.emersncyslo.org/en/testing-locations.aspx
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