SAN FRANCISCO – Coronavirus testing in the Bay Area is set to ramp up thanks to a new diagnostic laboratory launched by UC San Francisco.
The lab tested its first samples from COVID-19 patients on March 20 and is now able to process 2,000 samples per day, returning results in as fast as 24 hours, UCSF said in a news release Tuesday.
The university will offer testing to the public health departments of nine Bay Area counties free of charge for the next 30 days. The eligible counties are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.
“We are pleased to now be able to offer our mutual aid in this time of crisis to all nine Bay Area counties’ departments of public health by providing COVID-19 testing at no charge,” said UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood.
The lab was enabled by an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom that provides flexibility in some state regulations governing how diagnostic labs are staffed, UCSF said.
“Our teams have been working around the clock to fight this pandemic with everything we have,” said Joe DeRisi, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UCSF. “We have amassed a volunteer force of over 200 graduate students and scientists dedicated to processing test samples with the ultimate goal of limiting the spread of COVID-19.”
The lab’s introduction comes just days after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new task force that will install high-capacity testing “hubs” at several state universities. The goal is to end a large backlog that, at times, has left people waiting as many as 12 days to receive results.
“Increasing testing capabilities throughout California is one of our highest priorities to help combat this pandemic,” he said, “and this collaborative effort is an important step towards addressing the state’s existing backlog.”
Of the 126,000 people tested in the state, 13,000 were still waiting on results as of Saturday.
