With the rise of the delta variant, the need for testing has surged again, sparking long lines at San Diego County testing sites. But now, some testing locations are making it easier to find out if you’re infected.
Companies like WeTestU in Mission Valley, have rolled out mobile testing labs not only for convenience but for safety.
Looking at the company’s mobile lab may surprise you because it’s not a large recreational vehicle, it’s a four-door Toyota. Owner Ray Halluk opened up the trunk and showed NBC 7 where the testing equipment is stored.
“This is where I keep the rapid testing, we keep it cold. These are thermos that keeps them cold,” explains Halluk while holding an insulated bag.
Halluk says he’s stayed busy on the road the past six months as they’ve been offering the mobile option.
Going door-to-door from Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego, to Los Angeles, even Arizona, testing some 500 people so far.
One of them, T.V. personality Steve-O, that he snapped a picture of.
“We can do everything a lab can do in our car,” says Halluk.
San Diegan Keith Elliot knows that all too well.
Because of his constant interaction with the public because of work, he’s a repeat customer at Halluk’s testing.
So when he wasn’t feeling well earlier this year and had lost his sense of taste and smell, he decided to use the mobile testing option to be safe and limit exposure.
“I was just so conscientious about you know, covid and not infecting others and I wasn’t feeling well,” said Elliott.
The option allows Elliott and others to get same-day results and avoid private and county walk-up testing sites like the one a Cal State San Marcos where the line was wrapped around the block Wednesday.
A cluster of people that some worry about could lead to Covid exposure.
While the county did offer mobile testing sites, it was for priority populations.
The private company’s now rolling out mobile options so anyone has a shot at getting an at-home test, but it’ll cost you while the county-operated sites offer tests for free.