Santa Clara County launched a new drive by COVID-19 site at the County Fairgrounds with the goal of testing 5,000 people a day – the largest in the Bay Area.
Announced on August 18, the location-only, high-capacity location is expected to complete and continue to expand 1,000 daily tests by the end of this week. Tests are free and insurance is not required.
Cars, bicycles and pedestrians are all welcome. The expected waiting time is 15 minutes from start to finish. Officials said this setup would be crucial not only for testing, but also for protecting residents during the flu season and preparing them for the “dream” of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Employees will be on site Tuesday through Saturday, with appointments available later in the day for those who need to test after work.
Because this is not a walk-up site, people with symptoms as well as individuals at high risk are welcome. Dr. Jennifer Tong, associate medical officer of Valley Medical Center, recommends possible testing by personal physicians.
The Santa Clara County Health Department currently serves 40% of tests that occur countywide, according to Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, the COVID-19 test officer, and the turnaround time for results averages three days, thanks to contracts with multiple labs in California.
Despite the increased testing, frustration remains high.
Cindy Chavez, chair of the Supervisory Board, said the numbers were still growing, now averaging 275 new cases and 175 hospitalizations daily.
“The solution to this crisis is in our hands; There is no cavalry, it is us, “said Chavez. “If we did not act, we could see another year of children not in school, another year of mental health problems, another year of economic destruction.”
Dr Sara Cody, health officer and director of public health, doubled down on that warning.
“We started here as a real groundbreaker for COVID in the United States, and six months into it we are still fighting,” Cody said. “The reason we’re still fighting is because we did not have the tools to get us out.”
While Cody is of the opinion that politicians, executive staff and resources in the province have been in their power every day since March, she said that these efforts are nothing of their own.
“What frustrates me is that we do not have to be here. We could have been done and we are not. We have more cases than ever before, ”said Cody San José Spotlight. “We can absolutely not only do it, but we can do everything we can, and this is the best thing we’ve done in a while.”
Contact Katie Lauer at [email protected] as follow @_katielauer on Twitter.
