New coronavirus testing site to open in Watsonville

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION)

A new COVID-19 testing site is expected to open in Watsonville next week, according to the city.

This site will be at the Ramsay Park Family Center. The city says public health officials report that more than 130 tests can be conducted there daily.

Testing will be appointment only and requires a doctor's recommendation. The city says uninsured community members will be tested for free.

The City of Watsonville says this is part of Governor Newsom's pledge to open 80 new COVID-19 testing sites across California. Last week, the governor said the state is taking a "socioeconomic" focus when searching for 86 additional testing locations in underserved rural areas and urban centers.

“We know that communities of color are disproportionately affected by COVID-19,” said Governor Newsom. “We must ensure that we are deploying testing equitably in an effort to reduce the higher death rates we are seeing in African American and Latino communities.”