Golden Valley Health Centers coronavirus test site set to open in Los Banos on Wednesday
As local coronavirus cases climbed past 700 this week, the Merced County Department of Public Health announced that an additional coronavirus testing site will open Wednesday in Los Banos.
Open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 645 7th St, Los Banos, the new site is in partnership with Golden Valley Health Centers and County Public Health. Individuals can be tested via appointment by calling 1-866-682-4842.
“We believe that everyone deserves quality health care, regardless of where you live, how much you earn, and whether you have medical coverage,” said Tony Weber, president and CEO of Golden Valley Health Centers in the release.
“By making COVID-19 testing more widely available, we can quickly address any positive cases and slow down the spread everywhere, especially in our higher-risk groups.”
The county’s state-contracted testing site with OptumServe at the Merced County Fairgrounds, which has the capacity to perform at least 100 daily tests, is set to expire at the end of June.
The new Golden Valley site seeks to make sure COVID-19 testing continues to be available for all county residents — including those without symptoms.
“Our Department wants to ensure all Merced County residents have access to testing within the county,” said Public Health Officer Dr. Salvador Sandoval in a news release. “Testing for those individuals with symptoms, which are often mild, is extremely important to prevent the further transmission in our community.”
“Even those individuals without symptoms should be tested, if a potential exposure has occurred,” Sandoval said in the release. “We must all continue to follow the recommend safety measures to work towards a healthier tomorrow.”
Most Merced County residents can be tested for COVID-19 infections by their medical providers, or through these existing testing sites:
Golden Valley Health Centers location at 857 W. Childs Ave., Merced. Make an appointment by dialing 1-866-682-4842 or visit https://www.gvhc.org/.
State contracted OptumServe site at 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Merced. Dial 1-888-634-1123 or schedule an appointment online at www.lhi.care/covidtesting.
Drive up testing is available at CVS locations in Merced at 1970 Yosemite Pkwy. and Atwater at 1651 Bellevue Rd. Individuals can register on the CVS website.
This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 7:05 PM.
