Berkeley has opened a drive-through COVID-19 testing site

The drive-through COVID-19 testing site at North Berkeley BART station opened Friday morning as planned, despite poor air quality. Photo: Tracey Taylor

Update, Sept. 11: The drive-through testing site opened up this morning at 9:30 a.m. in spite of the poor air quality.

Original story: The city of Berkeley is opening a drive-through COVID-19 test site on Friday at the North Berkeley BART station, where, after making an appointment online, people can do a self-administered mouth swab test. The city said results are expected within 24-48 hours.

The test site is run by Curative Inc., which has been operating several temporary walk-up sites in Berkeley.

The test site is currently slated to operate for three weeks and will be located off the Delaware Street entrance on the southeast corner of the North Berkeley BART Station parking lot. Available times are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting on Sept. 11.

People can drive up to the site, roll down the window to get a lab kit from clinic staff, roll up their window to swab their own mouth for a sample, and then drop the completed kit with another staff member farther away.

The process takes a few minutes.

The city continues to offer a walk-up testing site at the MLK, Jr. Youth Services Center, 1730 Oregon St. The Sixth Street testing site is currently closed.

Testing guidelines from the city of Berkeley

Get tested based on symptoms, exposures

If you have COVID-19 symptoms or think you’ve been exposed, under federal law, you can get a test anywhere and your health plan must pay for it.

If you have healthcare, start with your provider — who will be essential for any possible follow-up care. You can also use test sites throughout Alameda County and also throughout the state.

This drive-through only site as well as the South Berkeley test site have a primary goal of providing tests to those who have no other options.

When considering testing, you can check your symptoms using the CDC’s Symptom Screener or by contacting your doctor.

Testing is a snapshot in time — not a clearance for work

A COVID-19 test only tells you if you are positive at that moment. However, people can develop the disease up to two weeks after exposure to someone with the virus.

A test is not a clearance to return to work. Employers should not ask employees to do so.

An employee that has had COVID can come back to work when at least 10 days have passes since symptom onset and at least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever (without using fever reducing medicine) and other symptoms have improved. 10 days after symptom onset and 24 hours after fever resolved.

The safest way to keep a business safe is by following the guidelines of local Health Orders, which augment specific industry guidance given by the state.

Act quickly on results

People without symptoms can have and spread the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. Getting tested is an important act. But more actions are needed.

Start self-isolating at home immediately if:

you suspect you have COVID-19 symptoms; OR
you had a positive test for COVID-19; OR
experienced symptoms within two weeks of being with someone else with COVID-19.

Do not wait for a positive test result. See the Health Officer’s Isolation and Quarantine Orders for detailed guidance.

Berkeley has opened a drive-through COVID-19 test site

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Tracey Taylor