SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Rural communities in San Diego County will have access to free COVID-19 tests starting on Tuesday. CalFire will set up drive up test sights throughout the backcountry and various libraries.
The firefighters will be assisting San Diego County Health and Human Services in their mission to test residents in the rural, unincorporated areas of the county.
New locations, starting Tuesday, will be staffed with first responders from CAL FIRE and the San Diego County Fire Authority. District Supervisor, Dianne Jacob said, “This virus knows no boundaries, so it is critical that we extend testing into our backcountry. This initiative is part of our regional test, trace and treat strategy that is allowing us to track the course of the illness and help clear the way to safely restarting more of our economy.”
District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond says this testing is being made available, “In order to get more people back to work and overcome the virus.”
Drive-up testing sites will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in five rural communities. An appointment is necessary, and you can make one by calling 2-1-1. The county wants San Diego residents to be reminded, these tests are all free of charge.
The sites will be located at:
- May 26: Julian Library
- May 27: Pine Valley Fire Station 44
- May 28: Valley Center Library
- May 29: Borrego Springs Library
- May 30: Potrero Library
Testing in the region has been made more widely available and the region is now regularly surpassing over 4,000 tests a day. They are available places like SDCCU Stadium in Mission Valley. The county also has Live Well on wheels mobile offices in Hillcrest and one on Euclid.
There are also state-run test sites in southeast San Diego, El Cajon, Escondido, and Chula Vista.
As far as these rural communities, the next five days there will be testing, and they do plan on more tests happening in June. CAL Fire says to follow their social media sites for those details.