The new year brings long lines, post-holiday Covid testing rush
It’s a new year, but the lines for coronavirus testing haven’t budged since the start of the holiday season.
The U.S. is facing an unprecedented number of new cases, while hospitalizations slowly tick up.
The highly contagious Omicron variant has spurred a surge in coronavirus cases nationwide, and in the Valley.
At the Covid Clinic in Palm Springs on Monday, cars were lined up bumper-to-bumper.
“With the holiday, lines are pretty backed up. It’s not just here, it’s been our other sites as well," said Assistant Regional Manager Jessica Rosales, "The lines have been crazy.”
The clinic has reported a more than 300% increase in testing volume at both of their locations.
The Palm Springs testing site is located at the airport, which reels in a lot of travelers trying to take a last minute test.
“We try to get as much tests as we can but at the same time, we don’t want to rush them because we want to make sure we’re doing the correct test and everything is accurate,” Rosales said.
The clinic is urging you to give yourself time and plan ahead, if you’re in need of covid testing.
However, finding a test site to go to has been a challenge for many.
“Finding a place was super hard," said Naki Jones, "I went to 8 different Walgreens and CVS stores to see an in-home test. Amazon is backlogged so it been a challenge today.”
Here's a list of test sites across the Coachella Valley:
Palm Springs
- Covid Clinic Palm Springs (PSP) Site PCR, Rapid Tests
- East Riverside Van: James O Jesse Community Center PCR
- Desert Oasis Healthcare PCR
- CVS on Sunrise Way PCR, Rapid Tests
Desert Hot Springs
Cathedral City/Rancho Mirage
- Plaza Rio Vista Kiosk PCR
- Centro Medico Cathedral City PCR
- CVS on Vista Chino PCR, Rapid Tests
- CVS on Bob Hope PCR, Rapid Tests
- Walgreens Drive-Thru Testing on Date Palm Dr. PCR
Palm Desert/Indian Wells
- UCR Palm Desert Campus PCR
- Covid Clinic Palm Desert Site PCR, Rapid Tests
- Executive Urgent Care PCR, Rapid Tests
- MedPost Urgent Care PCR
- CVS on Washington PCR, Rapid Tests
- Walgreens Drive-Thru Testing on Monterey PCR
La Quinta
- La Quinta Wellness Center PCR
- CVS on Jefferson PCR, Rapid Tests
- Walgreens Drive-Thru Testing on Washington PCR
Indio
- East Riverside Van: Starbucks Indio PCR
- Fullenwider Auditorium - Indio Fairgrounds Testing PCR
- OptumServe Testing Site PCR
- Martha’s Village Clinic – Borrego Health PCR
- MedPost Urgent Care of Indio PCR
- Premiere Urgent Care Center Rapid Tests
Coachella
- Premiere Urgent Care Center Rapid Tests
- CVS on Avenue 50 PCR, Rapid Tests
- Walgreens Drive-Thru Testing on Harrison St. PCR
- CVUSD PCR
Thermal/Mecca
