BERKELEY—On Tuesday, July 28, Berkeley Public Health announced the creation of a free COVID-19 testing kiosk in San Pablo Park. It will be open Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30.
Curative Medical Inc. provides the test kits, which are simple oral fluid swab tests that allow for individualized testing. This self-testing method has been used extensively in Los Angeles, not Los Angeles County.
Insurance, regardless of providers or plans, cannot charge copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance for clinical lab tests to detect or diagnose COVID-19.
Residents can make appointments on Curative Medical Inc’s website and submit their test samples in a container. Test results will be received within 24 to 48 hours.
To ensure outreach to vulnerable populations, the city is using a mobile testing unit at senior housing complexes, organizations with connections to Latino and Black people, and skilled nursing facilities. They have also provided testing to hundreds of individuals working in the region, including grocery workers who are considered essential workers.
“Our goal is to use what is within our means to expand the availability of testing. This pilot testing program gives us a tool to see how we might expand access to more parts of our community,” said City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley.
According to the city spokesman, Matthai Chakko, 300 people a day will be able to take the test for free.
