A new Test to Treat option is now available in Goleta and Santa Maria. According to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, through Test to Treat, people will be able to get tested, and—if they are positive for COVID and eligible for treatment they may receive a prescription from a health care provider, and have their prescription filled all at one location.
*Note: People can continue to be tested and treated by their own health care providers who can appropriately prescribe these oral antivirals at locations where the medicines are distributed.
Locations
- Mini-bus at Direct Relief (6100 Wallace Becknell Road, Goleta)
Sunday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Santa Maria Fairpark (937 Thornburg Street, Santa Maria)
Sunday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
How Test to Treat Works for Individuals and Families
COVID-19 treatments must be started early in order to work. With the new Test to Treat initiative, eligible patients can get tested and start treatment in one visit to a participating site.
Step 1: Get Tested
You can use the web-based Test to Treat locator to find a participating site near you. You can also call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) to get help in English, Spanish, and more than 150 other languages. The call center is open from 8am to midnight ET, 7 days a week. In addition, the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is available to help people with disabilities access services.
Step 2: Get a prescription from an on-site healthcare provider if you are at high risk of getting very sick
If you test positive for COVID-19, ask the on-site health care provider during your appointment if you are eligible for a prescription for a COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment. Bring any medications (or a list of the medications you are currently taking) with you to your appointment.
Step 3: Get Treated
Ask the on-site or affiliated pharmacist to fill the prescription. Once your prescription has been filled, you can take your oral antiviral pills home with you to begin treatment!
How to Get COVID-19 Treatments
- If you have symptoms, call your health care provider right away to ask about testing and if you qualify for COVID-19 treatments.
- Stay home and isolate away from others to avoid making them sick.
- If you don’t have a health care provider or don’t hear back from your provider within a few days, visit a Test to Treat location to get rapid testing and find out if treatments are right for you.
- If you are uninsured, get free care at an OptumServe Test to Treat location.
COVID-19 treatments are not a substitute for COVID-19 vaccines. While treatments are an essential tool in the fight against COVID-19, vaccines are how we get through the pandemic. Go to MyTurn to book your appointment to find a walk-in clinic near you.
For more information, including Frequently Asked Questions, go to https://publichealthsbc.org/test-to-treat/.