Hayward tightens criteria for free COVID-19 testing
Drive-through COVID-19 testing in Hayward.
HAYWARD, Calif. - Free novel coronavirus testing at a Hayward fire station is now being limited to people with a fever over 100 degrees and other symptoms, such as a cough or shortness of breath, Hayward officials said on Friday.
Previously, the city had relaxed screening criteria for the tests, which began on Monday, so people who weren't visibly sick but had known COVID-19 risk factors, were over the age of 65, pregnant or recently pregnant or homeless could be tested.
City officials said the tightening of the testing criteria came at the direction of Alameda County health officer Dr. Erica Pan.
The tests are being conducted at Hayward fire station No. 7 at 28270 Huntwood Ave. in conjunction with Avellino Labs, a Menlo Park biotech company that analyzes the test results.
Hayward officials said generally the center can do up to 370 tests a day, although the number of tests done each day has varied this week.
The city said 207 tests were conducted on Monday, 462 on Tuesday and 248 on Wednesday. The numbers for Thursday and Friday haven't yet been posted.
The city said 54 of the 207 people who were tested on Monday tested positive for COVID-19. It hasn't released the results of tests done later this week.
Hayward officials said the testing center is scheduled to operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Mondays, or until the number of tests available for the day have been exhausted.
The center closed early on Wednesday because it ran out of test kits.