Sacramento County residents with mild symptoms can now take free mobile coronavirus test
Sacramento County’s main drive-through coronavirus testing site has widened its reach to allow anyone with mild symptoms to qualify for free testing - and health officials are encouraging more residents to go online to determine whether they are eligible.
The testing has been run by a private clinical research company called Verily - a sister company of Google - at Cal Expo since late March.
To date, though, the testing has focused on people at high risk for COVID-19, with an emphasis on healthcare workers and first responders.
The widening of the testing will allow more people with mild symptoms to find out if they have the virus, and will allow epidemiologists and clinicians to learn more about how the virus is spreading through the community.
As of Monday, 462 Sacramento County residents had tested positive for coronavirus and 18 have died.
County officials say the appointment-only site is now taking people who do not have a doctor’s referral.
Residents must determine if they are eligible by responding to screening questions on the www.projectbaseline.com website.
Those who are deemed eligible will be given an appointment for a COVID-19 test. Medical care is not offered on site.
The Verily project is a cooperative effort with the California Department of Public Health, the California Office of Emergency Services and Sacramento County Public Health.
Test results are returned two to five days after the test, Verily officials said.
Separately, Sacramento County Public Health has a COVID-19 hotline at 916-875-2400 where people can ask questions about the virus pandemic.