Mayor London Breed Announces New CityTestSF Site in SoMa April 16, 2020 Public Health NEWCITYTESTSF, Testing, COVID-19 0 In partnership with Verily and One Medical, San Francisco will operate a new COVID-19 testing site for the public, further increasing testing capacity and bolstering the City’s response to the pandemic. San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and the Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax today announced the creation of a new COVID-19 testing facility—CityTestSF – SoMa. The facility will provide COVID-19 testing for the public in collaboration with Verily’s Baseline COVID-19 Program and primary care group, One Medical. CityTestSF – SoMa, along with the previously announced CityTestSF site on the Embarcadero for frontline workers, increases San Francisco’s testing capacity and is a critical resource in the City’s efforts to slow and contain the spread of coronavirus in the community. “Expanding San Francisco’s testing capacity is essential to not only slowing the spread of the virus, but also helping us to have the tools we need to manage this virus through the coming months,” said Mayor Breed. “People need to have complete information about their health so they can seek treatment and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves, their loved ones, and the entire community. CityTestSF – SoMa is an important resource for members of the public who are experiencing symptoms and are looking for a safe and convenient place to get tested.” “I continue to be impressed and grateful for everyone in San Francisco who is coming together to solve problems and protect the health and safety of our community,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, Director of Health. “The new CityTestSF site is a great example of the type of partnership that we need. By expanding testing in our city, more people can get the care they need sooner, and reduce the risk of exposure among their families and close contacts.” CityTestSF is part of San Francisco’s ongoing commitment to rapidly increase its testing capacity while pursuing strategic partnerships, including leveraging the expertise of private companies and health care providers. Seamless and efficient access to testing is critical to ensure people get the care and treatment they need if they are exposed to COVID-19, and to prevent additional spread of the disease to others. The testing facility is located at 600 7th Street in SoMa. The property is owned by the City and County of San Francisco under the jurisdiction of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and is the future site of affordable housing. CityTestSF – SoMa will open and begin drive-through operations by appointment on Friday, April 17. This site will initially be able to test up to 200 people per day, with a goal to offer walk-up access and increase capacity in the coming weeks. In order to follow social distancing guidelines, testing at CityTestSF sites are available by appointment only. San Franciscans experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 can screen their symptoms and, if eligible, can make an appointment online for testing at CityTestSF – SoMa using the Baseline COVID-19 Program online screener and appointment scheduling system at www.projectbaseline.com/COVID19. This program is first focusing on high-risk populations as advised by the California Department of Public Health guidelines. Testing will be provided to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria, regardless of their ability to pay. In collaboration with the State of California and San Francisco, the Baseline COVID-19 Program provides a connected solution to support individuals from screening through testing and receipt of their test results. Verily developed The Baseline COVID-19 Program working closely with state and local government health authorities and other private health organizations to expand access to COVID-19 screening and testing in areas with a high volume of known cases. Sample collection for COVID-19 testing will be conducted by One Medical, whose team of healthcare providers will manage the clinical operations of the test site. One Medical is a leading national digital health and primary care organization headquartered in San Francisco and operating more than 30 clinics in the Bay Area. “Collaborating with the State, the City of San Francisco, and our colleagues at One Medical, the team at Verily is focused on doing all that we can to create a seamless process to increase access for COVID-19 testing, especially for those at highest risk,” said William Marks, MD, MS-HCM, Head of Clinical Science at Verily. “At One Medical, our goal is to bring superb primary care, including diagnostic testing services, to as many people as possible. This collaboration with the City of San Francisco and Verily is an important addition to our efforts to serve our hometown community during a time of unprecedented need,” said Andrew Diamond, MD PhD, Chief Medical Officer at One Medical. CityTestSF – SoMa is part of a broader effort to expand testing capacity in San Francisco. On April 6, Mayor Breed announced a dedicated COVID-19 testing facility for the City’s frontline workers on Piers 30-32. The City has also been working to expand testing capacity at the Public Health Lab, hospitals, commercial labs and with community partners. The expanded availability of testing is expected to increase the number of positive COVID-19 cases confirmed in San Francisco. As of March 24, San Francisco along with other Bay Area counties issued a health order requiring laboratories performing COVID-19 tests to report all testing data to state and local health authorities. The City is working with UCSF and UC Berkeley to use the data and develop models to understand the spread of virus in the community and inform data driven responses. For testing, eligible persons must be 18 years or older, live in San Francisco and be willing to electronically sign the COVID-19 Public Health Authorization Form and Lab Consent. Based on the COVID-19 screener and testing appointment availability, individuals will learn whether they are eligible for testing through this program and be provided an appointment. Please visit www.projectbaseline.com/COVID19 to learn more. Comments are closed.
