Coronavirus Testing Sites Triple In Riverside County
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Coronavirus testing continues to ramp up in Riverside County, with the announcement Tuesday that eight state-operated testing sites are opening across the region.
The eight new locations offered by state health officials will test an additional 1,000 people per day starting Wednesday, according to a county news release.
The locations, which are spread throughout the county, are in addition to the four drive-up testing sites — Perris, Indio, Riverside and Lake Elsinore — that are operated by Riverside County health officials.
The new sites are being operated by OptumServe, a firm hired by the state to conduct testing, and each location can process up to 132 people daily. The service is free and those wanting to be tested can be asymptomatic, but must have an appointment.
“One of our key initiatives is to test as many people as possible and these new sites, combined with the testing we have already been able to complete through our county-run locations, will provide a good measure of what is happening with the spread of coronavirus,” said Kim Saruwatari, director of Riverside University Health System - Public Health.
Appointments can be made online by going to https://lhi.care/covidtesting or those without internet access can call 888-634-1123. Testing is available for everyone, regardless of insurance or immigration status, and is no cost to the resident.
“Testing is a top priority of Riverside County and the State of California, and I am pleased with this incredible partnership with the state to expand testing,” said Riverside County Board Chair and Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “I am particularly glad we will have testing sites in Desert Hot Springs and Mecca, two communities with high need and essential workers on the front lines. Testing is for everyone, regardless of immigration status, and it is free. I encourage everyone to make an appointment, get tested and help our county and state continue to make progress on this crucial aspect of our coronavirus efforts.”
Riverside County leads the state in testing among other more populous counties, having tested more than two percent of the population, according to the news release. The number of confirmed cases in Riverside County is partly connected to the larger percentage of testing, county officials maintain.
As of Tuesday morning, 56,251 people had been tested by the county, and there were 4,354 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 181 deaths.
The following state-operated locations will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by appointment only:
Mead Valley Community Center
21091 Rider St., Suite 102
Perris, CA 92570
Nellie Weaver Hall
3737 Crestview
Norco, CA 92860
Moses Schaffer Community Center
21565 Steele Peak
Perris, CA 92570
Mecca Boys and Girls Club
91391 66th Ave.
Mecca, CA 92254
Jurupa Valley Fleet Center
5293 Mission Boulevard
Riverside, CA 92509
The following locations will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:
Lozano Community Center
12-800 West Arroyo
Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
Noble Creek Community Center
390 W. Oak Valley Parkway
Beaumont, CA 92223
Valle Vista Community Center
43935 E. Acacia Ave.
Hemet, CA 92544
In addition to the above, the county is currently operating testing facilities in Indio, Lake Elsinore, Perris and Riverside. All residents can get tested, regardless of symptoms. The sites are by appointment only. Anyone who wants to get tested can make an appointment at 800-945-6171.
The county is seeking to expand these screening facilities, with new sites potentially opening in the San Gorgonio Pass and the San Jacinto Valley.
This article originally appeared on the Temecula Patch
