Sacramento County Reopening Some Coronavirus Testing Sites
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — As the state shuts down more and more businesses, coronavirus testing sites are reopening to meet growing demand.
The wait was finally over for Stefanie Danch as she pulled into the pop-up testing site at the Natomas Unified School District office on Arena Boulevard.
"I have been checking daily on the computer for a couple of weeks now," said Danch.
She has T-cell lymphoma, but that wasn't the only reason she wanted to get tested for COVID-19.
"I am a pediatric nurse practitioner, so I work with immune-compromised children," Danch said. "I felt it was my responsibility to make sure I am not exposing them to anything."
Danch was one of many scrambling to get tested. Araceli Cruz says she was exposed to someone who tested positive two weeks ago.
"I searched online and everywhere. A lot of CVS sites are closed, every date in advance. So this was the first place there was an opportunity for me to test," Cruz said.
READ: With Indoor Dining Off The Table, Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds Stepping Up To Help Businesses
The Natomas Unified site is one of five that were reopened after being close earlier this month due to a shortage in testing supplies. The National Guard is running the sites, which will move daily.
"Previously canceled appointments will take priority, but there will still be some appointments available - you just have to go back on the website and keep looking for them to make them next week," said Capt. Serenity Holden.
The Sacramento County public health is processing the kits. Health officials say they are able to process up to 100 a day. The Natomas site was booked before it opened Tuesday.
"We have the space and we definitely want to help the community, so we saw this as an opportunity to help," said Lisset Mojares with Natomas Unified.
As the number of coronavirus cases spike, some worry about the lag time between exposure and testing
"That's the concern: people who are walking around asymptomatic and exposing people unbeknownst to them," Cruz said.
Operation of the sites will be reassessed on a weekly basis.