With health professionals expecting the spread of coronavirus to accelerate, Kaiser Permanente is setting up several drive-up testing sites for its members at East Bay locations.
The drive-up testing sites are only for Kaiser members, and only for those who meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for testing and have a doctor’s order to be tested, Kaiser officials said Sunday.
Kaiser spokeswoman Kerri Leedy would not say where these drive-up stations are operating, because they are not open to the public. This is a pilot program currently being tested at Kaiser’s Northern California medical centers.
“We expect all our medical centers to eventually offer some form of alternative testing sites,” Leedy said.
The testing locations will enable Kaiser to safely test patients who may have coronavirus while minimizing potential exposure to Kaiser staff, other patients and the community in general, Leedy said.
It’s about time! We need more testing right away.
We don’t know who has it and who doesn’t. The experts cannot track it.
Literally anyone can have it right now.
If you are sick in any way, PLEASE stay home
I had an appointment at Kaiser for a few minor procedures today. Yesterday (Sunday) my Doctor himself called me and said other than emergency and urgent services, they are shut down. (sidenote: my Doc is a local guy… He graduated form Concord High School many years ago) He didn’t have a clue when they could start re-scheduling….
If you don’t have symptoms please stay home and don’t clog the line.
People can’t just show up. A person has to call Kaiser to get permission and an appointment slot before being testing. It will be Kaiser’s decision if a person gets tested.
For the most part, a person does have to have specific symptoms. However, some people might be asymptomatic carriers. If a person is a care taker, or has someone in their household who has an immune system disorder, perhaps it could be possible to get tested. But ultimately it would be Kaiser’s decision.
now the ca dental association recommends dentists shut down except urgent stuff…. dang, this was my week for appointments… there goes my 6mo exam n cleaning… guessing it is for the best….
Bay Area Rep. Mark DeSaulnier hospitalized with pneumonia. No comment.
We joined Kaiser a few years ago, and I have to say that while it’s not perfect – it’s an overall better healthcare system than what we had under a PPO healthcare plan. Their ability to stand up a drive-through testing center is a testament to their ability to coordinate responses across multiple types of practices.
It seems to me that this is a preview of what we might expect under a “medicate for all” system. Certain aspects of their delivery are a bit frustrating (lab work, for example), but overall I can’t complain. And I’m the son of a doctor father/ nurse mother and former EMT myself.
Kudos to KP.
This would be great if not for the requirements to get tested. There are people tewsting positive without even having symptoms. Testing needs to be open to everyone and there need to be more testing kits sent out ASAP.