Three pop-up coronavirus testing sites in Santa Clara County open this week with shorter wait times as they use a new wristband system for scheduling tests.
At Oak Grove High School in South San Jose, testing runs 1-6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.
Testing also is open through Friday at the South County annex in Gilroy and the Santa Clara County Office of Education in San Jose.
It's the first test of the wristband system, in which people show up early to get a slot later in the day.
Also new in Berkeley, the city is running a two-day pilot program using saliva-based tests at San Pablo Park. The program uses the same kind of mouth swab test in use by Los Angeles County to encourage testing for people who aren't able to stomach the nasal swab.
The Berkeley saliva tests are open to the public by online appointment only. Results can be expected in 24 to 48 hours, according to city officials.
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Meanwhile in Washington, as Democrats and Republicans battle over a trillion-dollar coronavirus aid bill, funding for coronavirus testing is on the line.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Democrats are asking for $75 billion for testing while Republicans are proposing only a fifth of that amount.
Public health leaders have stressed that testing and contact tracing is critical to any safe reopening plan.
