The Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, CA  recently secured approval from the local government to provide drive-thru and walk-up Coronavirus testing to the general public as a direct response to the rise of COVID-19 cases throughout Los Angeles County. The decision to roll out this testing pilot is spurred by growing calls from community members and local businesses to mobilize additional sites to address the testing shortage.

"As demand for testing continues to rise, our decision to convert our hotel parking structure as a testing site available to the community is underpinned by the pressing urgency of removing barriers for anyone in need," said Steve Farzam Chief Operating Officer at Shore Hotel.

Farzam adds, "Since rolling our aggressive testing pilot program, it's already proven very effective and the community response has been exceedingly favorable." Shore Hotel is aiming to provide vaccines as soon as they become available.

Residents now have access to various types of testing ranging from an antibody test that requires one drop of blood from a finger prick to a Rapid Antigen test made by a U.S.  company called CareStart. The third option is a PCR test labeled as the gold standard of all tests by the CDC.  Farzam encourages all persons who want to get tested to seek expert guidance from their primary physicians as to which tests suit them.  In addition, through the Care Act, no cost PCR testing is extended to valid California residents who do not have insurance. Farzam adds, "We also provide no cost PCR testing to anyone with insurance irrespective of legal status."

The positive programmatic response gave Farzam the momentum to scale-up an additional testing site at the LUXE, a luxury boutique Hotel in Brentwood. Located in the hotel's underground parking garage, the testing site can be accessed through Sunset Boulevard making it an ideal access point west of the 405 freeway. 

As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc in Los Angeles, these two location sites are proving extremely beneficial in mitigating the burden on strained commercial labs who are working relentlessly to process tests for both flue and COVID-19 in a timely manner.

Given these hurdles, increasing testing capacity underscores the importance of ramping-up efforts to make sure testing is available to all. Farzam notes that "COVID-19 is by far the greatest public health crisis our nation has experienced in a century," emphasizing the need to swiftly mobilize resources and increasing testing capacity. 

Consistent with this objective, securing authorization to administer FDA authorized tests to local residents has positioned Shore Hotel as an instrumental community resource to meet the testing demands and curtail the community spread of the virus. Dr. Jason Rhee, a licensed physician in California who oversees both COVID-19 testing locations says, "our authorized testing sites known as 911 Covid Testing fulfill a vital community need and reflect the importance to always be a patient advocate while simultaneously serving the greater good."

To find out more about the types of testing the Shore Hotel offers or to make an appointment to get tested visit: www.911CovidTesting.com or call 310-569-5784

About Shore Hotel

Opened in October 2011 in Santa Monica, just steps from the Santa Monica Pier, 3rd Street Promenade, and the city's popular beaches and shopping districts, Shore Hotel is the newest addition to the coastline—a LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified property that offers eco-friendly accommodations with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.

www.shorehotel.com 

Media contact:

Steve Farzam 
www.shorehotel.com

SOURCE Shore Hotel

Related Links

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