In collaboration with the California Governor’s office, federal, state and local public health authorities, Verily, a sister company of Google, is helping to establish testing sites in the Bay Area and an online tool to increase risk screening and testing for people at high risk of COVID-19. The tool will triage people who are concerned about their COVID-19 risk into testing sites based on guidance from public health officials and test availability.
Californians will be able to take an online COVID-19 screener survey through Project Baseline. People who meet eligibility and requirements for testing will be directed to mobile testing sites based on capacity, where they will complete a nasal swab test. Once tested, individuals will be informed of their COVID-19 test results within a few days.
To protect the most vulnerable, the COVID-19 testing pilot program will begin by testing the highest risk individuals at select sites in the Bay Area, where there is a significant volume of known cases. As more testing kits and sites become available, Verily plans on scaling the capacity.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help local authorities expand testing access in California as the need continues to increase,” said Verily in a press release. “The program is in its early stages, and we will take the time to assess operations at pilot sites in the Bay Area before rolling out to additional sites. We are working closely with Governor Newsom’s office, federal authorities and local public health authorities to ensure we have the right capabilities in place to help more people over the coming weeks.”
Launched in 2017 as an effort to map human health, Project Baseline is focused on advancing science and bridging the gap between clinical research and clinical care. The Baseline Platform delivers the core technology infrastructure to enable decentralized screening and support broader accessibility. The Baseline Platform securely collects and stores health information and is compliant with federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual’s data. Data is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols.
“We’re honored to help support such an important public health program,” says Verily. “By connecting people with testing when it’s most needed, we hope to contribute to the efforts to address COVID-19.”
The Baseline COVID-19 Program is live at projectbaseline.com/covid19. Individuals who take the online COVID-19 screener survey and meet eligibility requirements for testing will be directed to mobile testing sites based on capacity, where they will complete a nasal swab test. With this pilot, we have planned a staged roll-out for appointments. Appointments will continue to expand through this program as we scale in the near future.
Please note, this program is intended to expand access to COVID-19 risk screening and testing. This program is not intended for people experiencing severe cough, shortness of breath, fever, or other concerning symptoms who may need more acute medical care, as our mobile testing sites are not currently prepared to provide acute medical attention.
“We are early in this pilot and are going to be learning more that will help refine COVID-19 risk screening and testing,” says Verily.
For the latest on COVID-19 screening, visit the Baseline COVID-19 Program website.