Oakland resident Jessica was recently exposed to Covid-19 after shopping at a local market. After hearing of the outbreak, she felt it was right to get tested for the sake of her family. “My mom is considered high-risk,” said Jessica. “Even though I was following the safety guidelines, I would be heartbroken if I exposed my mom to it.”
According to data from the Alameda County Public Health Department, the 94601 zip code has the highest number of positive cases in the county. Approximately 1-in-3 cases in Oakland are from residents living in Fruitvale and Jingletown communities, many of which live in crowded, multigenerational living quarters where social distancing is limited.
“I heard from the community that getting tested is painful, unsafe, and you could even get infected with Covid-19,” said Jessica. Though she admits she could have received testing through her employer, Kaiser Permanente, she opted for taking the community clinic route to dispel the myths and rumors about getting tested there.
She scheduled an appointment at a free drive-thru testing site in East Oakland. When Jessica arrived, she checked in by showing her photo ID and was pleased to know she wasn’t turned away for not showing symptoms, nor was she asked questions regarding proof of health insurance, a doctor’s note, income, or her immigration status. Jessica said, “in fact, all the questions asked were health-related.”
The doctor and nurse greeted her at the drive-thru site and walked her through the entire process, including opening the sealed medical instruments. “I felt very safe getting tested here,” she said. Jessica said she was in and out of the testing site within less than 10 minutes.
Within 2 to 3 days, she received her test results by email, which came back negative. “It was a great process; it was accessible, painless, and informative,” said Jessica.
Fruitvale community clinics like Project Baseline and La Clínica de la Raza in Fruitvale have opened Covid-19 testing sites, with La Clínica testing up to 150 community members per day. The testing is free and available to individuals, whether they are patients of the clinics or not.
“I want to share my experience to help demystify the process and eliminate any barriers towards Covid-19 testing,” said Jessica. “Do it for your loved ones and your community. Get tested.”
Testing Sites in East Oakland:
| La Clínica de la Raza Parking lot at 35th Ave & E 12th St. Oakland, CA. 94601. Drive through or walkthrough Monday-Friday 8:30 am – 12:00 pm 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm For an appointment call (510) 535-3370 The call center is closed from 12:00-12:30 pm | Native American Health Center Parking lot at 3050 International Blvd. Oakland, CA. 94601 Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00 am – 7:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm For appointment go to https://www.color.com/nahc or call (510) 535-4400 |
| Roots Community Health Clinic 9925 International Blvd Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:30 am-3:30 pm Appointments can be made online. You can go to the Roots Site without an appointment during the site operating hours. If you experience any issues, you can call Roots at (510) 777-1177 ext 1. | Allen Temple 8501 International Blvd, Oakland Monday-Saturday: 1 pm – 7 pm This is a drive-thru site only and appointments are required. Appointments can be made online. Also, note that you will need access to an email account to receive your appointment confirmation and test results. |