Two new COVID-19 testing sites to open in Sonoma County

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Sonoma County on Tuesday will open two new coronavirus testing sites available to residents regardless of whether they're experiencing symptoms or not.

The new sites, in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, will open days after the county reported its third coronavirus death on Sunday.

The victim was only described as an older man. Sonoma County Health Services spokesman Rohish Lal said no further information would be released.

The two new testing sites are made possible by a partnership between the state and OptumServe, a health services innovation company. County officials said it will not be a drive-through site and participants will need to get out of their vehicles to be tested.

"We are pleased to see that the state is stepping in to supplement local testing efforts," said Sonoma County Supervisor Susan Gorin in a statement. "This will help us reach our goal of conducting 600 to 800 tests per day, which will help us to understand the spread of COVID-19 here in Sonoma County, a critical step toward opening the county back up."

Appointments are available on weekdays. Residents can make appointments online by going to this site here. Appointments can also be made by calling (888) 634-1123.

Specific test locations and hours will be provided when making an appointment. Tests at the two new centers are free to the public. If individuals have insurance, their insurance providers will be billed. 

The two new testing sites are a separate operation from the county's drive-thru testing at the Sonoma County Public Health Laboratory, designated for health care workers only. Health care workers should still call (707) 565-4667 to make an appointment to get tested at that site.

As of Monday, the Sonoma County reported 257 cases. The county has conducted 6,468 tests, and 96 percent of the tests were negative for the virus.

Bay City News contributed to this report.