Testing is one of our first defenses against spreading COVID-19.
Yet, as anyone who’s tried to get tested recently knows, it is not easy amid a wave of new cases.
Stores are out of at-home kits, and lines at testing sites are long.
It’s a case of supply outstripping demand. In early December, you could get an at-home test kit at a drugstore or easily be tested in person.
But, right now, everyone is seeking testing all at once, whether it is kids needing a test before going back to school, travelers returning or going on trips, those who threw caution to the wind on New Year’s Eve and others who don’t feel well and need to know if it’s a cold or COVID.
Here’s what to know about testing.
City testing sites
Testing sites, including Anaheim’s, are seeing record demand, even at this late stage in the pandemic. We are meeting the challenge, going from some 100 tests on a slow day last year to more than 1,000 these days at Anaheim City Hall, our largest site.
Because of demand, we are focusing on appointments, which is only fair to those who have made appointments or who have paid for expedited testing.
Basic diagnostic PCR tests are free. You’ll be promised results in two to three days with results often within 24 hours.
Appointment availability and wait times continue to improve at Anaheim’s sites run by Covid Clinic.
To make an appointment, go to Anaheim.net/testing. Consider our other sites, which may be busy but not as busy as City Hall: East Anaheim Gymnasium, Brookhurst Community Center and ARTIC transit center.
Other testing sites
With some exploring, you’ll find that urgent care sites, workplace healthcare providers and other clinics providing testing across Anaheim. They are likely to have lines as well, and testing may come at a cost.
Members of Kaiser Permanente in Anaheim are seeing hours-long waits at the provider’s Anaheim Canyon location. Please click here for more on testing at Kaiser.
At-home kits
At-home kits are an effective testing tool and are great to have on hand. But they are not readily available for someone needing a test right now.
It is best to order at-home kits and then use them strategically if you develop symptoms or need to know your status before seeing others.
You can order saliva test kits that come via mail and are mailed back for processing and results. The tests are available through the county of Orange here.
You can also order nasal test kits from Fulgent Genetics here. You will need to allow time for delivery, sending back and processing of results.
Online retailers
You may not be able to find at-home test kits on store shelves, but you can also buy them online from large retailers such as Walgreens and CVS.