New state-supported COVID-19 testing site opening in Seaside

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION) A new COVID-19 testing site with service provided by the California Department of Public Health and OptumServe will be opening in Seaside.

The site will open Oct. 20, and it will be offering free testing Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Seaside High school.

State sponsored testing sites are required to meet an 85% utilization rate, so the Monterey County Health Department said the Greenfield site had to relocate because it has not been used much in the past few months. The last day of testing at the Greenfield site will be Saturday, and it will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“I want to thank the Greenfield community and Monterey County Free Libraries for opening their doors to the State sponsored testing site.  Our priority was to locate these sites in our communities of greatest need for testing services when this resource was first made available to us.  Since the opening of the site, additional community testing services have been made available at various south county locations including at Clinica de Salud’s clinic sites” said Elsa Jimenez, the Monterey County Director of Health. 

The County Health Department said Seaside High School was chosen because an analysis showed a lack of access to COVID-19 testing in the area.

“We are proud to partner with the county to bring a testing site to the Peninsula” said PK Diffenbaugh, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent. “We know that our families and the entire community will benefit from having an accessible COVID 19 testing site at Seaside High.”

People with and without symptoms can be tested, but it is especially recommended for healthcare workers, first responders, caretakers of high-risk people, those who have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19 and those concerned that they may have been exposed.

To make an appointment at a state-supported site, including the one at Cesar Chavez Library in Salinas, accept both walk-ins and appointment. Appointments can be made at the website here.

Other South County testing sites that are still available include:

• Greenfield: Clinica de Salud, 808 Oak Avenue 831-674-5344
• Greenfield: Mee Memorial Clinic, 467 El Camino Real 831-674-0112
• Gonzales: Clinica de Salud, 126 5th Street 831-675-2930
• King City: Clinica de Salud, 122 San Antonio Drive 831-385-5944
• King City: Mee Memorial Clinic, 300 Canal Street 831-385-6000, ask to be transferred to the clinic
• Soledad: Clinica de Salud, 799 Front Street 831-678-0081
• Soledad: Soledad Medical Clinic, 600 Main Street 831-678-2665