What to Know
- COVID-19 testing will be offered to Rady Children's Hospital patients, their family members and staff.
- The medical facility aims to test 2,000 people daily.
- Parents cannot visit a facility solely to get the test; they will be offered during visits.
Rady Children's Hospital announced on Wednesday the launch of "COVID Collaborative for Children," a new joint initiative made with San Diego County to test thousands of local children and their family members for COVID-19.
The effort aims to screen up to 2,000 children, their families and the medical facility's staff for COVID-19 each day. Rady will begin by offering about 400 tests a day and over the next six weeks, will offer 2,000 tests daily.
Already the testing has been offered at emergency rooms and urgent care, regardless of the reason why a patient is there.
The testing will be optional and parents and children will not be required to take it.
"For example, if a child comes in for an annual wellness visit with one of our affiliated pediatric primary care offices...we will test the child and their parent," said Dr. Nick Holmes, Rady Children's Chief Operating Officer.
The medical facility plans to expand the initiative by offering coronavirus testing in its satellite clinics, specialty clinics and affiliated primary care offices during a patient's existing appointments beginning the first week of June, according to Holmes.
"It's important to note that parents will not be able to schedule appointments solely just to have testing," Holmes said. "The testing will be part of regular visits with a Rady Children's affiliated health care providers."
Rady Children's Hospital offers services to more than 20 sites in San Diego County, from Chula Vista to Oceanside.
