A County of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center operated COVID-19 testing site that can now provide automated results via text message – often as soon as the day after the test is administered – will be open in Sunnyvale on Sept. 14 at Murphy Park (260 N. Sunnyvale Avenue, Sunnyvale 94086) from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Testing is appointment-only and slots can be reserved at www.sccfreetest.org three days in advance.
“Testing is our ticket to fewer restrictions,” said Dr. Jennifer Tong, Associate Chief Medical Officer for Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. “Fast test results improve the contact tracing work, which keeps our county as safe as possible from COVID-19. People tested at the county’s testing site typically receive their results within one-two days after the appointment.”
The county test sites provide COVID-19 tests free of charge, regardless of immigration status, and no doctor’s note is needed. At some County test sites, people with insurance may be asked to provide their insurance information, so that payment from the insurance company can be collected. However, patients won’t be billed for any co-pay, deductible, or any other cost for testing. Those without health insurance or those who do not provide insurance information can still get a test at those sites.
The tests are viral detection tests, which diagnose a person who currently has the infection. Read more about the difference between viral detection tests and serology tests on the County’s website.
People with symptoms are directed to County drive-thru sites to reduce the chance of getting others sick.
County test sites and additional sites operated by other organizations are mapped on the County’s website at www.sccfreetest.org. The site is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Tagalog. Information is also available by calling 2-1-1.
There are currently more than 50 COVID-19 test locations in Santa Clara County, including those at community centers and schools, hospitals and clinics, and mobile testing centers. County test site locations may change each week based on assessment of testing needs.
Data are published on the County’s COVID-19 Testing Dashboards on the County’s website.