Ventura County opens drive-thru coronavirus testing centers
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Ventura County has opened three drive-thru coronavirus testing centers and plans to open more by the end of the week, officials said.
The drive-thru testing centers for COVID-19 was intended to be convenient while safely practicing social distancing. The drive-up testing centers are currently open in Simi Valley, Oxnard and Ventura.
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The testing centers are open in conjunction with urgent care centers in the area. However, not everyone will be tested. Nurses will be evaluating patients to see if they are eligible.
"Our big limit is on supplies. We don’t have enough swabs to test for everybody who comes through. We are following the CDC criteria for people at high risk for COVID to identify those who really should be tested. SO, those who have been exposed, have travel history, have fever, respiratory symptoms like cough or shortness of breath…those are the patients who really need the testing," said Dr. Theresa Cho with the Ventura County Medical Center.
COVID-19 test results are expected within 12 to 24 hours, health officials said.
The Ventura Unified School District closed all of its closes amid the coronavirus crises through April 10.
As of Thursday morning, there were 13 confirmed coronavirus cases in the county.