Two New State Testing Sites to Open in Sonoma County

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Responding to a push by Governor Gavin Newsom to greatly expand testing throughout California, Sonoma County supervisor Lynda Hopkins confirmed Sunday that two new state coronavirus testing sites are planned and will open soon in Sonoma County.

The sites, operated by a contractor, will bolster the county’s drive through site opened on Saturday that is focused on screening healthcare workers at present, and will move on to sympomatic first responders and essential workers in the coming weeks.

The current county site was designed to conduct 200 tests a day, by appointment, but public health officer Dr. Sundari Mase told News of the North Bay that that number could soon be expanded. On its first weekend, the county’s multiple-lane testing site was processing patients at a faster clip than expected. A total of 450 tests were done.

The two new state drive through testing sites will reportedly have the ability to each perform 130 tests a day, 260 in all. That, when added to the county’s new drive through site will bring the daily capacity much closer to the 800 tests each day that health officers feel is necessary to properly track and trace infections in Sonoma County.

This past week Governor Newsom set a target of 60-80 thousand daily tests as one requirement for a phased reopening of the state. That level of testing will in theory allow the state’s healthcare system to locate, track and isolate new cases of the coronavirus before they get out of hand.