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Where can kids be tested for COVID-19?

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**San Mateo County Testing / Curative – PCR saliva test for kids and families. Same-day, drive-through test readily available Monday to Friday from 1pm-8pm at the San Mateo County Event Center location.

How: Schedule online through the Curative website where appointment slots are easy to see before any screening is required. See FAQs for testing procedure.

Where: At the San Mateo County Event Center and several other San Mateo County locations.

Who: All San Mateo County residents with children aged 5 and older are eligible for no-cost testing. Asymptomatic or symptomatic.

**Stanford Express Care — PCR testing, now mostly nasal swabs (nasopharyngeal still used if you have symptoms or an upcoming procedure). Testing can now be scheduled without the need for a prior video conference appointment.. Drive-through testing is no longer available but testing is done in a large athletic facility with excellent social distancing protocols.

How: Register online through MyHealth if not already a MyHealth patient. To schedule your appointment through MyHealth, go to ‘Appointments,’ ‘Make Appointment’ and select ‘COVID Testing,’ or download their App for iOS or Android. To schedule over the phone, call (650) 736-5211. Having a primary care physician at Stanford is not required.  Or Visit the website to schedule a video visit, Call (650) 736-5211, or Download their App for iOS or Android

Where: Most testing is now done at the Galvez Street Arrillaga Center for Sports and Recreation (drive-through testing has been discontinued since the recent fires and poor air quality). Hours 9am to 7pm.

Who: Children and adults. Asymptomatic or Symptomatic.

Note:  Priority is given to those who are symptomatic or were exposed to confirmed or suspected COVID-19 contacts. If you need a test within 72 hours of a particular date, log on to MyHealth to schedule your testing appointment at least a week in advance to grab a spot as close to 72 hours before to allow sufficient lab turn-around time.  

Santa Clara County Testing — No video visit or doctor’s order required, multiple sites located in Santa Clara, San Jose, and Morgan Hill.  Testing is for ASYMPTOMATIC patients only. Residency in Santa Clara County is not required.

Who: Children and adults who DO NOT have symptoms of COVID-19.  

How: Make a testing appointment through their website, or Download their MyHealth App for iOS or Android

**Stanford Emergency Department – Can provide same-day PCR lab results for those who need such PCR verification last-minute for a flight or procedure, or for those with urgent symptoms.

How: Walk-in at the Stanford Emergency Department.  There is a reasonably efficient “swab only” path in the emergency department in which patients have found the wait time to be reasonable (generally 1-2 hours). This will be charged as an emergency department visit – not cheap, but can be reasonable depending on insurance.

Where: Stanford ED, 1199 Welch Road.

Who: Adults and children.

**EveraGet your COVID test done in the comfort of your own home with on demand appointments, flexible weekend hours and 24-48 hour turnaround. All for just $150. $115 dollars per additional family member living at the same address.

How: Call or Text “COVID” to (415) 964-2676         

Where: From the comfort of your own home.

Who: Adults and children

**Vault Health – PCR Saliva test ordered online, self-collected at home (over a Zoom video call with a test supervisor) and mailed in, providing results within 72 hours. Meets the State of Hawaii’s pre-travel testing program requirements.

How: Sign up for your kit on their website. It is recommended to order your kit at the time of booking or at least 10 days prior to your date of departure. 

Note: Vault Health only ensures 24-hour lab turn-around for those ordering through their Hawaiian Airlines partnership – otherwise, they only promise a 48-72 hour lab turn-around (upon receiving your sample). Cost: $150/person.

Dignity | GoHealth Urgent Care — Requires a video visit prior to scheduling a testing appointment.  

Testing sites in Redwood City, San Bruno, the Castro, Mill Valley, Piedmont (Oakland).

Who: Children (aged 5 and over) and adults. 

Note: GoHealth uses the Abbot point of care test which has significantly less sensitivity than the tests listed above.  However, results are available within an hour.  Priority is given to those who are symptomatic or were exposed to confirmed or suspected COVID contacts.

How: Visit their Website to schedule a video visit.

Where: From the comfort of your own home.

Sutter Health — Requires registration if not already a patient, and a video visit prior to scheduling a testing appointment.   

Note: priority given to those who are symptomatic or were exposed to confirmed or suspected COVID contacts.

Who: Children and adults who are or can be registered as Sutter Health patients.

How: To register and/ or schedule a video visit, visit their website.

Walgreens — PCR test of nasal swab. Some sites also have rapid tests available.  Drive-through testing by appointment only. Local sites include Cupertino and Daly City.

How: Complete the screening survey on the website to determine eligibility and sign up at the website.

Who: Adults and children (website says age 3+)

Note: Website says results available in 3 days.

Albertsons/Safeway — PCR test of saliva sample collected at home. Kit can be picked up from Albertsons/Safeway or mailed to you. You send it back via Fedex (drop it in at a FedEx dropbox, or at a FedEx location, or schedule same-day pick-up). Samples should not be collected on Friday or Saturday.

How: Fill out an online questionnaire and have your test picked up by a designated person or delivered to your home.

Who: Adults and children (no age restrictions, but children need to be able to produce enough saliva to fill the line on the tube provided).

Where: Available at several local Albertsons/Safeway locations, including Menlo Park, Redwood City, Palo Alto.

Note: Website says results will be delivered to you via text or email within 72 hours. The COVID-19 test does not currently meet the requirements for pre-travel testing to Hawaii. Tests are $139.99. They do not directly bill insurance for the test, but you may be able to submit your receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Pixel by LabCorp — in-home testing NOT available to children <18 yrs.

Costco — PCR test of saliva sample collected at home, coordinated through AZOVA.  **Kits with ($139.99) and without ($129.99) video observation are available.

How: After ordering online, the kit is delivered next-day when you submit your registration on the Azova website by 10:30am MST Monday to Friday.  Drop off kit at UPS.

Who: Age requirements not listed.

Where: Website states the kit is only available to order online.

Note: Results are available in 24-48 hours with video observation, 72 hours without.  Some travel requirements require video observation. They do not directly bill insurance for the test, but you may be able to submit your receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement.

IGeneX — PCR test of nasal swab sample collected at IGeneX headquarters in Milpitas (must be done there, in-person). Same-day and 24-hour results available.

How: Ordered online through their website at least one day in advance.

Where: IGeneX headquarters, 556 Gibraltar Dr. Milpitas, CA 95035. Appointments are available every 10 minutes, Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 10am.

Who: Age not specified.

Notes: Choose between the C100-24 test, which provides results in 24 hours, for $250, and the C100-6 test, which provides results on the same day, for $400.

PAMF and Kaiser — Established primary care patients at PAMF or Kaiser can be tested at their specific drive-through locations with approval by a visit with their PAMF or Kaiser primary care MD.

**If you get tested through any of the above pathways, please be sure to keep your phone handy and answer unknown numbers to avoid delays in processing and getting your results**

Bottom Line

For children cared for by The Village Doctor pediatricians, contact us if you have a unique situation or are having trouble getting testing using the methods above.  We are always here to help and we closely follow the ever-changing and bewildering testing options available locally.

 Sky Pittson, MD, November 25, 2020