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Mobile COVID Testing Vans Replacing Mass Test Sites in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO -- As COVID-19 cases continue to drop, the days of mass testing sites are coming to a close. In San Francisco, those test sites are being replaced by drop-in testing vans.

"We want to be able to expand, scale down, scale back if we see cases go up or down and we can move from month to month, based on real time data," said Noel Sanchez of the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Two vans operated by Optumserve and City Health will be deployed from neighborhood to neighborhood monthly.

"The great thing about the mobile testing strategy is that we are going to be able to be first in those communities that we know have higher positivity rates," said Sanchez.

The vehicles will be dispatched to the San Francisco communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including the Bayview, Mission, SOMA and the Tenderloin.

San Francisco can track where the van is on a given day at www.sf.gov/gettested.

San Francisco Unified is handing out more than 100,000 COVID test kits to students and staff ahead of spring break.

The tests are being distributed as part of the district's effort to try to prevent any potential outbreaks when students return to class after the break.

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