New COVID-19 Testing Sites Available For Mother Lode Residents
Sonora, CA — Tuolumne and Calaveras Public Health Officials have released details on the new COVID-19 testing facilities for Mother Lode residents and how this will help to go into Stage 2 of lifting restrictions.
Both county’s public health officials relay they are gearing up in preparation for testing and working towards accelerating more fully into Stage 2 of the Governor’s roadmap to modifying restrictions. Currently, they are awaiting further instructions from the state related to meeting certain criteria to proceed, which will come on Thursday.
The state of California teamed up with OptumServe to open 80 new testing sites across the state to expand and offer more testing. The Mother Lode sites are at the Lodi Library located at 201 West Locust Street and the Mariposa Elementary School at 5171 Silva Road in Mariposa.
Regarding testing, Calaveras County Public Health Officer Dr. Dean Kelaita stresses, “It’s critical, testing is one of the most important ingredients in being able to move into Stage 2.”
Public health officials relay that the cost of the testing will be billed through health insurance, with the state picking up the tab for those without insurance. Copays or deductibles will not apply to the visits and no fees will be collected at the testing site. Priority will be given to individuals with high risk. Testing can be scheduled by going online to https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling OptumServe at (888) 634-1123. To find a testing site nearest you go to https://bit.ly/2ypCrMv.
Dr. Kelaita adds that Calaveras County is building up the trained workforce to do contact tracing, He says those tracers will need to quickly locate and speak to people with suspected or confirmed infection as well as everyone whom they have had close contact while they may have been infectious. Dr. Kelaita shares that is why it is important that the public does its part by continuing social distancing, wearing masks in public, and washing their hands frequently, stating, “It’s vital…In fact, the thing that people do in their everyday life is the most important thing that can be done to prevent a flare-up in cases again once we start to reopen things and getting us back to square one again. That’s what I don’t want to see.”
Click here for the latest coronavirus testing numbers in Tuolumne County.
