State, County Partner To Open Coronavirus Test Site In Petaluma

Maggie Fusek
Updated ·4 min read

PETALUMA, CA — A coronavirus testing site opens Thursday at Herzog Hall at the Petaluma Fairgrounds as part of Sonoma County's efforts to increase testing opportunities for residents.

The county partnered with state officials to open the site. The Petaluma site is third in Sonoma County operated by OptumServe, a federal health services business under contract with the state to provide free COVID-19 testing for California communities.

"The County advocated for the State to create a third testing site in Sonoma County in Petaluma to create easier access to testing for South County residents," County Supervisor David Rabbitt said. "The ZIP code that extends from Boyes Hot Springs to Sears Point lands in the top five ZIP codes with the highest active case rate in Sonoma County, while western Petaluma falls into the top 10 ZIP codes. This testing site will help slow transmission in the South County area, helping residents detect cases early so they can isolate and slow the spread."

As of Wednesday, there have been 13,719 coronavirus cases — 2.6 percent of the population — and 160 deaths in Sonoma County since the onset of the pandemic. There were 2,852 active cases in the county Wednesday, including 280 new cases since Tuesday.

The new Petaluma testing site is scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10.

From then on, it is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday — providing up to 330 opportunities a day for residents in South County to access free COVID-19 testing.

Until this week, OptumServe operated a testing site at the Jockey Club at the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds and another site at the Windsor Bluebird Community Center in Windsor. Combined, the two sites provide up to 660 coronavirus tests each day.

In addition to new OptumServe site in Petaluma, the Fairgrounds site in Santa Rosa this week expanded its testing capabilities by 50 percent. Combined, testing opportunities at OptumServe sites in the county will now exceed 1,150 per day.

"Extensive, county-wide testing is a critical step toward re-opening the County because it allows us to identify cases and provide isolation support to stop the spread of the virus," said Supervisor Susan Gorin, chair of the Board of Supervisors. "When we do things like getting tested for COVID-19, wearing face masks, and practicing social distancing it helps us get through this pandemic and re-open faster and safer."

Testing at the OptumServe sites is open to all California residents regardless of documentation status, and no identification is required. Everyone is allowed to receive a test, whether they have symptoms or do not have symptoms, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Appointments are available on weekdays and can be made at Lhi.care/covidtesting. Residents without internet access may call 888-634-1123 to make an appointment.

Tests are free to the public. For those who have insurance, their insurance providers will be billed. Those who do not have insurance can still get a test.

Sonoma County has prioritized COVID-19 testing since the beginning of the pandemic, with the region performing more than 300,000 tests since April 7, according to Paul Gullixson, spokesman for the county.

The state requires that counties be able to test at least 1.5 per 1,000 people daily. In Sonoma County, that means at least 750 people must be tested every day.

"With the expansion of testing sites throughout the region, the County is now testing twice that number, with an average of 1,600 tests per day including pop-up sites and other opportunities," Gullixson said.

The County of Sonoma’s expanded COVID-19 testing program now includes:

  • Three OptumServe sites

  • An additional State partnership testing facility (Project Baseline) at Rite-Aid in Santa Rosa

  • A targeted community pop-up testing program at more than 10 sites throughout the County

  • Contact tracing testing for close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 patients

  • A mobile unit activated for additional testing at designated locations each week, based on public health needs

Residents must wear a face covering and practice social distancing at all Sonoma County’s testing sites. Visit Socoemergency.org/test to find out more about COVID-19 testing options. Residents can also call 211 or text their ZIP code to 898-211 for resource information.

This article originally appeared on the Petaluma Patch