SAN ANTONIO — As a highly contagious omicron variant prolongs the COVID-19 pandemic and 2022 begins with some of San Antonio's highest daily case counts, the city will soon be operating new mass testing sites to contain the surge.
Metro Health officials said Community Labs will be providing 24-hour tests at no cost as soon as 8 a.m. Thursday at the Alamo College District Support Operations Building, located at 2222 North Alamo St. No appointment is needed.
Two more sites will be operational at Palo Alto College Building 20 (1400 West Villaret Blvd.) and St. Philip's College (1801 Martin Luther King Dr.) on Friday and Monday mornings, respectively. By the start of next week, all three sites will test Bexar County residents from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, for the time being.
"Because of the increased demand for people seeking to get a COVID-19 test, we know we need to do more, and we are," Mayor Ron Nirenberg is quoted as saying in Metro Health's release.
On Friday, Metro Health announced three additional COVID-19 testing sites free and available to the public.
The Yates Community Center (558 Rasa Drive) opens Jan. 11, Melendrez Community Center (5919 W. Commerce Street) Jan. 12 and Copernicus Community Center (5003 Lord Road) Jan. 13. The sites' hours of operation are Monday - Friday at 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
“Within a week, Metro Health’s six new test sites have increased dramatically the testing capacity in our community. We can contain this pandemic through testing, masking up and getting vaccinated,” said Metro Health Director Claude A. Jacob.
Seventeen additional no-cost testing sites continue to be operated by San Antonio through its partnership with Curative, though you must register ahead of time before heading to these locations:
- American Legion - Curative Mobile Trailer #1, at 3518 Fredericksburg Rd. / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
- Claude Black Community Center - Curative Kiosk #11, at 2805 East Commerce St. / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- Conqueror's Assembly Church - Curative Kiosk #7, at 937 West Magnolia Ave. / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- Edgewood Square Shopping Center - Curative Kiosk #1, at 1135 South General McMullen Dr. / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
- Harlandale Park - Curative Kiosk #6, at 7227 Briar Place / 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
- Highland Forest Elementary - Curative Kiosk #2, at 3736 Southeast Military / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- Jack Inselmann Baseball Field - Curative Kiosk #10, at 7001 Culebra Rd. / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- NISD - Dub Farris Athletic Complex - Curative Kiosk #3, at 8400 North Loop 1604 West / 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- Oblate School of Theology - Curative Trailer #3, at 285 Oblate Dr. / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- Our Lady of the Lake - Curative Kiosk #2, at 411 Southwest 24th St. / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
- Pittman Sullivan - Curative Mobile Trailer #2, at 659 South New Braunfels Ave. / 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
- Salvation Army Missions Corp - Curative Kiosk #9, at 3802 Southwest Military Dr. / 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- Somerset ISD Central Office - Curative Kiosk #13, at 7791 East 6th St. / 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- St. Mary's University - Curative Kiosk #3, at 1 Camino Santa Maria / 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed on Sundays.
- University of the Incarnate Word Founders Hall - Curative Kiosk #4, at 4119 Broadway / 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- University of the Incarnate Word - Curative Kiosk #5, at 7615 Kennedy Hill / 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
- Zarzamora Testing - Curative Mobile Van #1, at 4531 South Zarzamora St. / 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
For a map of other local locations where you'll have to pay for a COVID-19 test, see below.
Each of the first five days of 2022 saw Metro Health report at least 2,700 new COVID-19 diagnoses, drastically higher counts than the community observed in 2021. As a result, the area's seven-day average for new daily cases has skyrocketed to a new pandemic high of 2,875, as of Wednesday.
Metro Health also reminded residents about the importance of testing before gathering with others outside of your household. You can also find a map of local COVID-19 vaccination sites here.