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Stanford University Partners with Local Counties to Increase Access to Antigen Tests
As we enter a new year and phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that testing is more important than ever as a tool to stop the spread of the coronavirus and help our schools, businesses, and public places get back to normal.
Stanford University is committed to supporting our community, and together with Stanford Health Care, has significantly expanded testing access as detailed below. Read about Stanford Medicine's clinical virology lab processing 1 million COVID-19 tests and counting »
Below is more information on the different types of COVID-19 tests and how you can access them.
PCR Testing
PCR tests are available to the general public and free of charge. A PCR test is considered the gold standard for detecting a COVID-19 infection but may take several days or longer for results.
- Stanford Health Care has nearly doubled the capacity of its public testing sites on the Peninsula and in the East Bay. We are currently providing more than 12,000 PCR tests per week and encourage you to book an appointment today.
Antigen Testing
A second type of test, the antigen test, is a rapid diagnostic test that can indicate, in 15-45 minutes, whether an individual is at a contagious stage of COVID illness. Taken at home, these tests are an important way to ensure people are taking the appropriate steps to avoid spreading the virus.
- Due to high demand, access to these antigen tests has been a challenge, particularly for the most vulnerable in our community. To help address this challenge, Stanford University has donated more than 200,000 antigen tests to Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda counties to be made available to the hardest-hit areas with limited access to these rapid testing kits.
- Stanford Health Care has already begun distributing antigen tests to its health care workforce and their families. Providing access to these tests allows us to continue to safely provide high quality care for every patient we serve.
As we continue to respond to a rapidly evolving pandemic, we are more committed than ever to finding nimble solutions for our community to stay healthy and safe.