Anonymous
Photos: Santa Barbara County Public Health Department
The state-operated community testing site is now operational in Santa Barbara for residents with COVID-19 symptoms.
The site is located at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real in Santa Barbara, and operates from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
OptumServe is operating the testing and has four staff members on-site, an event oversight administrator, clinical staff member, non-clinical administrative staff member, and a security person. This location has the capacity to administer 132 tests per day. Thursday’s schedule is completely full.
Testing is by appointment only and Santa Barbara County residents can make a request online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123.
The last testing site will open this Friday in Lompoc at the Anderson Recreation Center.
Santa Maria Testing Site is Now Open
The first community-based COVID-19 testing site in Santa Barbara County is now open.
The site is located in the Santa Maria Fairpark, 937 S. Thornburg Street, and operates from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., five days a week.
OptumServe is operating the testing and has four staff members on site, an event oversight administrator, clinical staff member, non-clinical administrative staff member, and a security person. This location has the capacity to administer 132 tests per day. Tuesday’s schedule is completely full with more dates booking up fast.
Testing is by appointment only and Santa Barbara County residents can make a request online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123.
Additional testing sites in Lompoc at the Anderson Recreation Center and in Santa Barbara at the Earl Warren Showgrounds will be opened later this week.
The County of Santa Barbara is working with the State of California to increase testing for COVID-19 through Community-Based Testing Sites.
Beginning May 1, 2020, residents of Santa Barbara County can make appointments to be screened, and subsequently tested at COVID-19 Community Based Testing Sites. These testing sites will be operated by Optum Serve, a contractor of the State of California.
The initial testing site will be established and operated at the Santa Maria Fairpark, located at 937 Thornburg Street, Santa Maria, CA, 93458 beginning on May 5, 2020 with locations in Lompoc, and Santa Barbara opening later that week. Testing sites will be operational 5 days per week, and days and times will be adjusted based on community need. Testing will be by appointment only.
All are eligible to screened, however, individuals who meet the following conditions will be prioritized:
- Healthcare Workers and First Responders
- Persons 65 years and older or any age with chronic medical conditions
- Residents or employees of congregate care living facilities
- Persons in essential occupations which include utilities, grocery, food supply, and public employees
- Any persons exhibiting one or more symptoms of COVID-19
These testing sites will help Santa Barbara County dramatically increase testing needs for individuals who have limited access to COVID-19 tests until now. Tests will be conducted to verify the presence of COVID-19 and are not antibody tests to detect whether or not a person has ever been infected. There will be no out-of-pocket expense or co-pay, and insurers of those who have coverage will be billed. Appointments will be completed at an indoor facility, and will require residents to exit their vehicle.
Screening and appointments can be made between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. by visiting https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123 for those with no internet access.
Optum and the State of California thank you for the generous donation of your private genetic material. We promise not to monetize the database we build by licensing the information to other private and government agencies. Your cooperation is appreciated.
no doubt G you beat me to it. i been laying low for so long im pretty sure it came and went if i ever had it. optum can kiss my ass.
That took long enough, and now we have to go to Santa Maria?
So where do we get the antibody test to see if we had it?
Can you expand on what you are alluding to?
THOMAS: Everyone is genetically unique. Even identical twins may have differences in the copy number of certain genes, as well as differences in methylation patters of genetic sequences (epigenetics). Your DNA is probably the most personal thing about you, and for that reason it’s valuable. Look at the use of biometrics today in security: fingerprints, facial recognition, iris scans, voice, and even the way you walk. DNA is even more unique than that. Furthermore, the sequencing of genomes reveals not only information about your ancestry but predispositions for particular health problems and even behaviors as well. Follow me so far? It’s the Holy Grail of some to have a national (or even world) database that contains the genetic sequence for every person on Earth. Who wants this? Scientists, for research purposes. Law enforcement, to match people to unsolved crimes. Pharma, to figure out the next block buster drug. Marketing, to sell you the drug. Insurance companies, to charge you accordingly based on your risk. Government, for absolute control. Do you realize that when you give samples of biological material, they are not necessarily disposed of after the test? The US Army has blood samples from before WWII and they used those to find “clean” human blood, before the invention Teflon and contamination of the planet by perfluorooctanoic acid. The acquisition and sale of your personal data has been the subject of numerous news articles and leaks, with Big Tech being the biggest offenders so far. The content of your emails, browsing history and contact list is nothing compared to the value of your genetic information, so I suggest you guard it.
As of today testing is available to the general public with no symptoms. I understand that for many, it is concerning how long it took to set this system up. Considering we had to build this program from scratch two months is light speed to build this complex of a system. Good on the Governor and SB PHD.
Testing startup is a tiny step in the right direction. But are we testing all the people coming from counties to the south and East? Beaches packed because we’re the only beaches in SOCAL with parking. All week long. Many license plates from that hotbed of coronavirus infection to our south. What are the powers that be thinking? Two day unannounced closure last weekend dramatically limited the numbers of Covid refugees. Seriously Supes, you’re on the hook for not protecting our health to the maximum extent feasible.
Why was the City of SB so unprepared for this pandemic. The pandemic is terrible, but just think if we had a devastating earthquake locally. Does anyone remember back in the mid-90s when 101 was shut down in both directions, and I believe the Chumash Highway was shut down as well. People takin’ boats from Ventura to SB to get to work. OMG, I really hope we’ve learned and are learning from this horrible experience.
I suggest everyone read CHEMICALSUPERFREAK’s comments from May 5 at 4:50 pm. He hinted about this issue a few days ago on May 1, but most people didn’t pick up on it. It has been publicized from various sources about the database concerns when these tests were first announced a few weeks ago. And that is why I will never go in to be tested myself. If you feel the need to get a test just beware of the potential dangers and implications and make your own call on whether it is worth it or not. I don’t find it so odd that a person with the last name of Gates is heavily encouraging these tests. Speculate what you will about that, too.
@7:26 pm — May we please never refer to Highway 154 as “the chumash highway.” It has always been Highway 154 or San Marcos Pass. The Chumash tribe managed to sneak their highway designation in under the radar, but that doesn’t make it appropriate or correct.