San Jose’s mayor says COVID-19 testing capacity is no longer the most urgent hurdle his city needs to clear as it seeks to dramatically increase the number of people getting tested each day.
"We think that residents may not be getting tested for several reasons," San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo told KCBS Radio. "Some residents may not know the testing is free."
The free testing is at two sites in East San Jose run by Verily Life Sciences, available to anyone who makes it through an online screener.
f you need a #COVID19 diagnostic test and you live in #SantaClaraCounty: complete the screener at https://t.co/DR47MBN59m. State guidelines will dictate eligibility for #testing, but our @verilylifesci testing sites in @CityofSanJose have ample capacity. #SiliconValleyStrong
— Sam Liccardo (@sliccardo) May 2, 2020The mayor said another issue is that the state has set eligibility requirements for these sites that leave a lot of people out. Currently, those requirements limit testing to those who have symptoms or who are at high risk from the illness.
"We know that the restrictions on eligibility were very tight initially under the state guidelines, those are loosening now, and we hope and we’re going to push to loosen then further so more people can get tested," Liccardo said.
Liccardo said getting the testing ramped up is a crucial step that will need to be taken before the region can open back up and return to work.
