San Luis Obispo County encourages at-home COVID-19 tests before Thanksgiving

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- San Luis Obispo County Public Health officials are asking residents to take at-home COVID-19 tests before the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.

Due to the holidays coming up, the County says their free testing clinics no longer have same-day or next-day appointments. This is causes problems for people who do have symptoms or have been exposed that need the free test. 

Health officials are asking people to avoid making COVID-19 test appointments unless they are experiencing symptoms.

County officials recommends an at-home self-swab test for anyone that is asymptomatic and wants to get tested prior to the Thanksgiving holiday should do so via an at-home self-swab test.

“We appreciate that people want to get tested and know their health status before any planned Thanksgiving celebrations or travel, but our free testing sites are now booked solid through Thanksgiving, which is making it difficult for people who have symptoms or think they’ve been exposed to get a free test quickly,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer. 

Dr. Borenstein says if people have symptoms and cannot make a same day or next day appointment at the free clinics, they can call a local urgent care, contact a primary care physician or consider the self swabbing kit.  

The health department encourages anyone who has symptoms or believes they may have been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested to help slow the spread of disease. 

For links to at-home self-swab tests and more information about testing, click here.