Several options for COVID-19 testing are available right here in Ramona, saving the time and expense of driving down the hill.
CVS Pharmacy at 1810 Main St. is probably handling the highest volume of COVID-19 tests in town, with roughly 20 tests performed on-site every day, said CVS Pharmacist Daniel Blom.
CVS has a drive-through service that is open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, and 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the weekends. Appointments are required and can be made online at cvs.com.
Blom said the tests are available to anyone ages 12 and older. He added that most types of insurance cover the fee, and in certain cases, the costs may be covered by the county or state. Customers without insurance would receive a bill.
“We’re pretty much booked up every day,” Blom said. “The results are not shared with us, they are just shared with the patient, or if they test positive it’s reported to the county.”
CVS Pharmacy’s COVID-19 appointments can be made online at cvs.com.
(Julie Gallant)
Blom said patients who test positive have to give consent before it is reported to the county. The individual’s name is not reported to the county, just the test results.
Not all CVS stores are providing the COVID-19 testing service, but typically the stores with a drive-through window are offering them, he said.
TrueCare, formerly known as North County Health Services, at 220 Rotanzi St., is also offering COVID-19 testing from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
TrueCare Clinic Manager Elvira Zavala said patients seeking a test are asked to make an appointment with a telehealth provider first by calling 760-736-6767. The provider will then make a recommendation on whether a test is or isn’t needed. Appointments are required for the tests, with no walk-in service provided.
Zavala said insurance usually covers the cost of the tests, but if not, TrueCare will not charge for the service. Results are usually available within three to four days, she said.
“We will have a nurse who will call the patient with the results,” Zavala said. “If the test is positive, we submit the results to the county and the county will do a follow-up.”
TrueCare, formerly NCHS, provides COVID-19 tests by appointment 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 220 Rotanzi St.
(Julie Gallant)
TrueCare Director of Development Debbie King said TrueCare began offering COVID-19 tests Aug. 19 twice per month. TrueCare expanded its services Sept. 28 for outdoor testing on weekdays by appointment only. King said TrueCare is partnering with the community to ensure patients have access to the test even if they do not have insurance or a primary care physician.
The expansion can be partially credited to assistance from Ramona Rotary Club.
Ramona Rotary Club member Dr. Eric Shapira said he noticed COVID-19 testing services were lacking in Ramona during the early days of the virus and recommended that the Rotary Club help defray TrueCare’s costs. In August, the Ramona Rotary Club approved a $3,100 donation toward TrueCare’s COVID testing, Shapira said.
“We’re dealing with low-income people and seniors at those (TrueCare) facilities and most of them don’t travel,” said Shapira, a gerontologist and dentist. “The number of cases is not accurate if more people can’t be tested.”
Shapira said money was available in the Rotary fund to offset TrueCare’s expenses, in part, because the annual July Fourth Fireworks Show the Rotary usually funds was canceled last summer to prevent a large, crowded gathering.
“Offering COVID-19 testing in more remote areas of our region helps keep our community healthy and improves access to care, which directly aligns with our mission,” said Dr. Marie Russell, chief medical officer at TrueCare.
Additionally, Cal Fire is making free COVID-19 testing available at local fire stations, schools and libraries. In Ramona, the next free drive-up testing will be available at Ramona Library, 1275 Main St., from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and Monday, Oct. 26. Nearby, the Julian Library at 1850 state Route 78 in Julian will host drive-up testing from 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays, Oct. 16 and 30.
For additional site details or to make an appointment online, visit 211sandiego.org.
