Demand for COVID testing spikes as location prepares to close
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - People with appointments didn't seem to mind waiting in line for COVID-19 tests at the LHI testing center in the Goleta Valley Community Center on Tuesday night.
Walks-ins were turned away.
The location is set to close on Thursday, Dec. 30.
Jennifer Gunner felt lucky to have an appointment.
"It's been really hard for us to find an appointment, at-home tests are sold out at CVS, and we were lucky to get this appointment," said Gunner.
Jessica Fernandez was turned away.
"I'm an essential worker, so I tried CVS and Walgreens, all the county pages and there isn't availability until probably two weeks or next week," said Fernandez.
The federal government placed a big order in an effort to help state governments meet the COVID-19 testing demand.
Santa Barbara County Public Health is encouraging people to visit other testing sites including Santa Maria Fairpark, Lompoc Health Care Center testing trailer, the test-bus-express at direct relief in Goleta and the Santa Barbara testing trailer.
They are scheduled to be open until March.
For more information, click here.
In San Luis Obispo County health care workers are spreading the word about a free COVID-19 pop up testing event Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Atascadero Lake Park Pavilion.
