Coronavirus

Seven Locations for Free COVID-19 Testing in Oakland

Published

4 years ago

June 17, 2020

Team Rubicon Disaster Response’s free COVID-19 testing site at the Henry J Kaiser Convention near Lake Merritt. Photo by Zack Haber

People who live in Oakland can get free COVID-19 tests in Oakland in at least seven different locations.

Those who have been tested described the process as painless and quick, although some said it was mildly uncomfortable.

“It was uncomfortable but the entire [process] felt smooth and painless,” said William Orr, who was tested about two weeks ago at Roots Community Health Clinic.

Orr said he waited in line for “10 to 15 minutes.”

Fenner, who was also tested at Roots, said “the hardest part was waiting around” and recommended bringing a sun hat or an umbrella. They said they had to wait for an hour but the testing itself only took about 20 seconds.

All the places listed in this article claim not to ask about immigration status and people can get tested even if they do not show symptoms.

The West Oakland Health Council (WOHC) at 700 Adeline St. requires that people first make an appointment. That can be done online using this address: https://www.oaklandca.gov/wohc or make an appointment by visiting the site. WOHC does walk-up testing outdoors and is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

WOHC Director of Communications and Operations,Steve Gardiner said test results come back in 24 to 48 hours.

Roots Community Health Center at 9925 International Blvd. also does walk-up, outdoor testing. Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Patients are encouraged to make an appointment online using this address: https://www.research.net/r/Rootstesting or they can show up on site and make an appointment there. Results come back in one to four days.

Allen Temple Baptist Church at 8510 International Blvd. does drive-through only testing. Some find this method safest because the patient only interacts with in-person staff when they lower their vehicle’s window to be tested. Test results come back within two to three days and patients pre-register at this address: https://www.projectbaseline.com/study/covid-19/

La Clinica has started arranging for walk-up or drive-through outdoor testing at the Fruitvale BART parking lot at the corner of 36th avenue and East 12th street. Patients should call 510-535-3370 to arrange an appointment, which can be done in English or Spanish. Testing is available from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Osita Health Clinic at 2521 Seminary Ave., Suite #1 offers free testing for walk-up or drive-through testing for those who are uninsured. They are open for testing from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Register online at this address: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0b48aaae2faaff2-covid19 or make an appointment at the clinic. Patients get results in 24 to 48 hours.

Carbon Health at 411 Grand Ave. does free testing for those without insurance. Testing is done indoors. They are open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Patients can book an appointment online by going to https://carbonhealth.com/coronavirus#smart and clicking IN-CLINIC COVID-19 TESTING. Results are reported within three to five days.

Team Rubicon Disaster Response is offering free drive through and walk up testing Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. Their site is located at the Henry J Kaiser Convention Center at 10 10th Street. Results come back in 2-5 days. Patients are encouraged to make an appointment online at: projectbaseline.com/covid but can also register onsite.

Zack Haber

Posts by Zack Haber

California Black Media

Gov. Newsom and Gov. DeSantis Go Head-to-Head in Nationally Televised Debate

Conservative Fox News personality Sean Hannity moderated the duel, during which the TV pundit, more than once, injected his opinion, and appeared to be providing subtle assists to DeSantis. As the debate progressed, it was clear that opinions about each topic discussed was representative of the philosophical and political chasm that divides liberal and conservative America, and a preview of campaign mudslinging that is bound to intensify as the 2024 presidential campaign ensues.

Published

5 months ago

December 10, 2023

Oakland Post

The debate between Gov. Gavin Newsom and Gov. Ron DeSantis was moderated by Fox News personality Sean Hannity. California Black Media image.

By California Black Media

In an intense, 95-minute-plus televised faceoff between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Nov. 30, the men traded jabs and putdowns, defended their respective gubernatorial records, disagreed sharply on how to solve the country’s most pressing problems, and expressed clashing views on the performance of the Biden-Harris administration.

Conservative Fox News personality Sean Hannity moderated the duel, during which the TV pundit, more than once, injected his opinion, and appeared to be providing subtle assists to DeSantis.

As the debate progressed, it was clear that opinions about each topic discussed was representative of the philosophical and political chasm that divides liberal and conservative America, and a preview of campaign mudslinging that is bound to intensify as the 2024 presidential campaign ensues.

“I’ll tell you why I’m here,” Newsom said. “I’m here to tell the truth about the Biden-Harris record and also compare and contrast Ron DeSantis’ record and the Republican Party’s record” with that of California.

DeSantis blasted Newsom’s management of the COVID-19 crisis and criticized Newsom for prevalent crime, homelessness and deteriorating social conditions in California cities.

“You have the freedom to defecate in public in California,” DeSantis said. “You have the freedom to pitch a tent on Sunset Boulevard. You have the freedom to create a homeless encampment under a freeway and even light it on fire. They’re not the freedoms our founding fathers envisioned.”

Newsom took a jab at DeSantis’ presidential candidacy, predicting that the Florida Governor would be endorsing GOP frontrunner Donald Trump soon.

“There’s one thing we have in common,” Newsom said. “Neither of us will be the nominee for our party in 2024.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

BayCityNews

FDA Updates Approval of Pfizer Booster Vaccine for Children Under 5

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated its approval Tuesday of the Pfizer-BioNTech booster vaccine, making it available to some children under age 5. Before this update, children under 5 were not eligible for COVID-19 booster shots. Instead, they received three doses of the regular vaccine.

Published

1 year ago

March 22, 2023

Oakland Post

As of December 2022, children age 4 and younger who have not been vaccinated receive the omicron variant-specific booster vaccine as the third dose in their primary vaccine series, following two doses of the original Pfizer vaccine.

By Eli Walsh
Bay City News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated its approval Tuesday of the Pfizer-BioNTech booster vaccine, making it available to some children under age 5.

Before this update, children under 5 were not eligible for COVID-19 booster shots. Instead, they received three doses of the regular vaccine.

However, children in that age range who completed their initial vaccination series before December 2022 only received three doses of the original Pfizer vaccine, and are less protected against more infectious variants of the virus as a result.

FDA officials updated the vaccine’s emergency use authorization Tuesday to allow those children who only received the original Pfizer COVID vaccine to receive one dose of the bivalent booster if it has been at least two months since they completed their initial series.

Other children under age 5 are not eligible for the booster, although everyone age 5 and up is eligible for a booster.

“Currently available data show that vaccination remains the best defense against severe disease, hospitalization and death caused by COVID-19 across all age groups, and we encourage all eligible individuals to make sure that their vaccinations are up to date with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. Peter Marks, the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

Clinical data has found that both the original Pfizer vaccine and the booster vaccine that targets the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are safe for everyone aged 6 months and up and effective at preventing the worst outcomes of COVID infection, including serious illness and death.

COVID vaccines are available at primary care providers, retail pharmacies and some facilities operated by local health departments.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

COVID-19 Response Grant Program

The City of Union City will be issuing another round of its COVID-19 Response Grant Program. The program has distributed approximately $620,000 in grant funds and forgivable loans to the community to respond to the impacts of COVID-19 and will distribute another $322,000 through this latest round of funding. The City will utilize federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and CARES Act funds.

Published

1 year ago

March 21, 2023

Oakland Post

The City will be holding two informational/technical assistance meetings to support residents and businesses with their applications and respond to any questions. These meetings will be streamed via Zoom. See below for meeting information and Zoom meeting links.

Grants are available through the City’s Road to Recovery Small Business Assistance Program and the Residential Rental Assistance Program. The City began accepting applications on March 6, 2023, at 9 a.m. and will begin reviewing applications (up to 50 applications for each grant opportunity) submitted on or before March 30, 2023, at 5 p.m. The program information and the online application are available on the City’s website:

https://www.unioncity.org/548/COVID-19-Response-Grant-Program

Tuesday, March 14, 2023: 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

https://unioncity-org.zoom.us/j/89061570160

Wednesday, March 15, 2023: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

https://unioncity-org.zoom.us/j/81868680531