Webpage on available testing now offered
Testing capacity for COVID-19 has increased in Tulare County and public health officials are encouraging more people to be tested.
Public officials are encouraging those who are essential workers, those who are returning to work in such areas as retail business and those who believe they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 to make an appointment to be tested.
Area hospitals, local health care providers, Tulare County Health and Human Services and the California Department of Public Health have increased the testing effort in California. Those interested in being tested can visit www.covid19.tularecounty.ca.gov for a full list of COVID-19 test collection in Tulare County and surrounding areas.sites within the County and surrounding areas. The webpage also includes an interactive map for residents to find their nearest site location.
“In an effort to increase testing surveillance in our local communities and to meet the statewide metrics for reopening, we encourage people who meet the new criteria to get tested for COVID-19,” said Dr. Karen Haught, Tulare County Health Officer.
In a partnership with Optumserve, Tulare County has recently opened two testing sites at the Dinuba Veterans Memorial Building and the Porterville Veterans Memorial Building, 1900 W. Olive Avenue.
Appointments for testing at the Porterville site can be made by calling 1-888-634-1123 or by visiting https://lhi. care/covidtesting.
Phone registration is only for those without internet access. Public health officials say those who go for testing should wear face covering.
Anyone who meets the testing criteria can be tested. The testing criteria includes essential workers, surveillance testing of asymptomatic people, uninsured, underinsured, undocumented residents, the homeless and those returning to work.
For those who have health insurance, Optumserve will bill the
patient’s health insurer. Testing for uninsured individuals will be paid for by the state.
Increased testing, increased date and increased contact tracing will help determine when it’s safe for Tulare County to move further along when it comes to reopening the economy.
One of the criteria for meeting Stage 3 of reopenings in California in which places
such as restaurants for dine-in service and salons can open is for Tulare County to do close to 750 tests a day. The increased testing capacity in Tulare County is helping it in its effort to meet that standard.
For more information about COVID-19, visit www.tchhsa.org/ ncov and
https://www.facebook.com/tularecountyhhsa/