Santa Clara County officials issued a public health order Wednesday requiring health care providers to increase the accessibility and speed of COVID-19 testing. The order, which goes into effect Sept. 25, states:
- People with COVID-19 symptoms, those who report that they have been exposed, and anyone referred by the county’s Public Health Department must be given testing “at the time the patient presents for care.” For those requesting a test online or over the phone, an appointment must be given by the end of the next day.
- All essential workers requesting a test, even if asymptomatic, must be provided with one within three days. However, health care providers can require that an essential worker wait 14 days between tests.
- Test results must be provided within a maximum of three days.
- Penalties for noncompliance range as high as $5,000 per incident.
“Testing is really foundational to our ability to prevent COVID,” said Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody during a press conference Wednesday.
The order also requires that health care providers better publicize the availability of testing and make the process “easy and straightforward.”
“We are grateful that the county has announced an order that is going to demolish the labyrinth that too many of our residents have found themselves in” when seeking testing, said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo.
Gilroy Mayor Roland Velasco described his experience seeking a COVID-19 test from Kaiser Permanente as “frustrating, discouraging” and “burdensome.” He called for increased testing “so that we can open up our businesses, open up our schools and open up our faith community.”