COVID testing demand skyrockets at Santa Maria-Bonita Unified sites

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Longer wait times are happening at the Santa Maria-Bonita Unified School District COVID testing sites.

Children and parents in the Santa Maria Bonita Unified School district are waiting longer than usual to get tested for COVID-19

“Over winter break, we saw a huge increase in covid-19 infections amongst the community, also amongst our staff, and I imagine also amongst our students,” said the district’s interim Superintendent Matt Beecher.

Nurses said depending on the time of the day, it goes as far as the end of the block. 

The public is also welcomed to get tested at the same sites. 

Officials say the demand for testing spiked with the recent omicron-driven surge. 

“Many people are coming to our sites from not just the City of Santa Maria,” said Beecher. “But even our surrounding communities to find covid testing,”

But, students and staff at the district will be the priority at all testing sites. 

Upon registration, there are two QR codes.

One for the district’s students and staff, and the other one for the public. 

Nurses said wait times could take from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the time of the day. They do ask the community to be patient.

“It is very busy here, we do get a lot of patients,” said nurse Lesly Diaz. “We do get more than 600 patients a day. We do test community and staff from the Santa Maria Bonita School District.”

In the last week, the district says over 4,000 COVID tests have been provided to the community.

The only way nurses are holding up during this busy time- team work. 

“Being very organized with your teammates is very important for us,” said Diaz. “We try to help each other out as much as we can. 

The district has a total of 4 testing sites:

•Liberty Elementary School: 1300 Sonya Lane

•El Camino Junior High: 219 W El Camino Street

•Fesler Junior High: 1100 E Fesler Street

•Tommie Kunst Junior High: 930 Hidden Pines Way