Lassen County has teamed up with the State of California and a research organization called Verily Life Sciences to expand COVID-19 testing for area residents. This increased testing will provide the ability to test asymptomatic individuals who are possibly spreading the virus to others.
Test appointments, which are recommended, can be made online by residents who are 18-years or older by clicking here and following the link.
Testing will be held at Lassen Community College May 18th, and 19th, from 10:00a.m. until 7:00p.m.
In the last 60 days, according to local health officials, 200 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Lassen County. The county now has over 5,000 test kits available.
“Using the test results to establish a baseline for our community qualifies us to move forward in California’s Resiliency Plan,” explains Public Information Officer Richard Egan.
“This partnership with Verily allows us to ramp up our responsiveness to our communities. We want those who want to be tested to have the opportunity to be tested.”
The drive-thru testing clinic does not provide antibody testing.
Lassen County Free Drive Thru Testing Clinic: Fact Sheet
What is the purpose of the test?
The drive thru testing clinic has been organized in order for our county to provide a true picture of the level of COVID-19 cases in our county to the state before they approve reopening more businesses. They’ve ramped up production of test kits which were scarce weeks ago and provided for mass testing since people can be asymptomatic and still carry the virus. This process is called surveillance testing as opposed to diagnostic testing.
Reasons to Participate
- Its free COVID-19 testing
- If you are a business owner and want to get your employees tested as part of your safety plan
- If you just want to see our economy get moving again and are willing to be counted
- If you want reassurance that you or a family member aren’t carrying the virus and are asymptomatic
Who can be tested?
Anyone 18 years or older can be tested during the drive thru testing clinic. If you are a business and want your employees tested, get them tested. If you just want to see our economy get moving again and are willing to be counted, get tested. If you want reassurance that you or a family member aren’t carrying the virus, get tested.
You do not have to be a Lassen County resident. Your results will be reported to you and your county of residence. We will not include non-resident results in our overall county result reporting even though they were tested here just as we include test results for our residents in our reports even if they were tested elsewhere.
When is the testing?
Drive thru testing will take place on May 18th and 19th from 10 am to 7 pm. Additional testing could be scheduled at a later date based on need.
Where is the testing?
The drive thru testing will take place at the Lassen Community College campus. The participants will drive thru the entrance and follow a clockwise path that loops around the campus.
How do I sign up?
All testing is free of charge. You may register at www.projectbaseline.com/COVID19. Sign-ups are encouraged ahead of time because a testing window is assigned. We will provide assistance at the test site for those that do not have a computer or other way to pre-register but you may need to complete the registration process and return at another time to be tested
How will my results be returned to me?
When you register for testing, you will be asked to provide a current e-mail address and your test results will be sent via this e-mail. The information you provide will be kept confidential. We will report test result numbers to the public but not any personal information.
If your sample comes back negative, you will receive an email. If your sample comes back positive, you will receive a call from a healthcare provider. A member of Public Health will call to determine if you require additional services.
What happens if I test positive?
You will receive a call from a doctor with guidance followed by a call from the Lassen County Public Health Ongoing Support team. You will be placed on a medical quarantine for 14 days to ensure that you are not spreading disease. The Ongoing Support Team will determine if there are any close contacts that need to be tested and will ensure that all needs are met during the 14 day quarantine period.
