Public health officials are asking all county residents to get tested for COVID-19, saying comprehensive data is critically needed to safely reopen. With upwards of 40 percent of positive individuals asymptomatic but still capable of spreading the virus, community-wide testing will allow health experts to accurately assess the state of the coronavirus pandemic in Sonoma County.
Individuals are welcome regardless of immigration status, and the information collected will be used for health purposes only. The test itself, according to officials, is “quick, easy and free.”
With test results for the county’s entire population, health workers can do timely contact tracing of individuals that may have been exposed, and take targeted measures to help prevent the spread of the virus. Free testing is available at multiple locations around the county, and in the Sonoma Valley at Altimira Middle School and Sonoma Valley Hospital.
The most updated dates and times are available online at svchc.org/covid-drive-through-testing.
“I was very nervous to get the test because I had heard a lot of people say it was uncomfortable and bad, but it was so easy!” said Lea Tropeano, 22. “I didn’t mind it at all. I’m all for consistent, mandatory testing. Everyone who can get tested should.”
In addition to testing for active cases of COVID-19, the county is also offering antibody testing for certain individuals, including health care workers and first responders. The antibody test requires that a technician draw blood to determine whether antibodies are present, which show if a person has had a previous viral infection.
A negative COVID test, health officials caution, proves that the virus was not present at the time of the test. It does not, however, protect the individual from subsequently catching the virus, and social distancing and the use of masks remain a mandated precaution.
To schedule a free COVID-19 or an antibody test, call 565-4667.
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