COVID-19 testing is available at the LPC campus.
One year ago in January, the first case of COVID-19 struck in the United States. Today the United States has a total of 26.2 million confirmed cases. Alameda County has been deeply affected by COVID-19 and so has the community it inhabits.
Alameda County alone has had 73,771 confirmed cases in the year this pandemic has arisen. As the people of Alameda County feel the impact of COVID, the county has taken measures and offered many sites to help with the pandemic. One site of which happens to be our very own campus. As of Jan. 21, Livermore has opened a drive-thru COVID-19 testing center open to anyone on the campus. The site is run by the CityHealth organization.
The drive-thru covid testing center is located in parking lot P in front of building 2500 and the soccer field. The testing site is one of many in the Livermore area but seems to be the least busy.
“The shift I worked we only had 20 appointments for the whole day and three walk-ups (drive-ups),” according to a source who works there.
This is compared to other locations like the Dublin sister location that saw about 100 appointments a day or the Alameda Fairgrounds where people report a several hour wait.
This testing site at LPC is appointment based but does allow drive-in appointments. The testing site is also free with medicare and may be free with other insurances. This location is also a place where one can get tested through airlines for people looking to travel. People traveling to Hawaii are usually sent to this location by airlines according to the worker there.
This testing site uses a self swab, meaning you can do it yourself instead of someone swabbing you. The workers walk up to your car with a test in their hand and ask some questions about symptoms and exposure time. The workers help coach you through the process of the swab and how long you swab. After the test, you then put the swab in a tube and seal it so it can be properly sent back. The results usually take 24 hours to get back but the longest duration is 48 hours.
The Las Positas on campus covid site has no foreseeable closing date or shut down period. The worker interviewed had this to say about it, “ It’s going to be at least a year that it’ll be at LPC, they’re trying to keep it around for as long as COVID is around.” As the pandemic goes on Las Positas has and will continue to do its part to help during this time.
Renae Machuca is a staff writer for The Express. Follow him @Cj_mcanfores.
