800 Tests a Day in Sonoma County? Possible Soon Says Public Health Officer.

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Sonoma County’s Public Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase says that two new state testing sites set to open in the county on May 4th, when added to the county’s new drive-up site, may soon bring daily tests close to the goal of 800 set by the state of California.

On Saturday the county began testing healthcare workers both with symptoms and without at a drive-up testing location in the parking lot of the public health office. In the first two days, teams working three lanes were able to test around 450 people. In the coming days the testing will move on to first responders like police and firefighters, then essential workers, and finally the general public.

The two new drive-up sites, part of a statewide rollout of 80 such sites funded by the state and operated by a private contractor, will be able to conduct around 260 individual tests each day. The county is now working with the contractor to determine site placement.

California health officials estimate that 60-80 thousand tests will need to be conducted each day statewide in order to be able to properly track and isolate new infections, before the state can reopen in a large way. That would translate to about 800 tests per day in Sonoma County.

Mase said due to the smooth rollout of the drive-up site, and ongoing testing being conducted by county hospitals, clinics and now the state, the county’s testing goal is within reach.