The County of Marin has partnered with Curative to offer free novel coronavirus testing by oral swab. Curative’s test offers a higher clinical sensitivity than nasal cavity swab tests. The simple, painless test is self-collected, and results are returned within 48 hours by email or text.

Curative’s test involves having a person cough first, releasing aerosols from the upper and lower respiratory tracts, then swab saliva from the inside of the cheek and the roof of the mouth. The swab is then sealed in a secure container and returned to a medical professional to be sent to a lab. The test is done without the test recipient coming into close contact with others, eliminating the need for frequent personal protective equipment (PPE) changes. To date, Curative has distributed more than 5 million test results nationwide and is processing about 70,000 test kits per day with plenty of capacity.

Local test collection locations will rotate around Marin County, and online appointments via the Curative website will be available beginning four days before opening day at each location for anybody, whether insured or not.

Novato’s testing location is scheduled for Fridays, starting January 8, 2021 from 10am – 4pm at the Novato Library, 1720 Novato Blvd. Information on other Marin County testing locations is available on the County’s website.

Since testing began for COVID-19 last winter, over 230,000 tests have been recorded in Marin County (counting multiple tests by a single person) and over 6,700 have come back positive. Residents should be aware of their options for testing as case counts rise.

Anyone seeking a COVID-19 test should first contact a health care provider. Most providers now offer testing for their patients and are required to do so under California public health regulations.

The Public Health Division of Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offers the following considerations for who should get tested.

• Those who have symptoms of COVID-19.
• Those who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
• Those who have been asked or referred to get testing by a health care provider, local health department or state health department.
• Essential workers who have regular contact with the public should be tested up to monthly whether or not they have symptoms.

Residents in Marin have options when it comes to obtaining COVID-19 testing including the new Curative testing locations, through offices of health care providers, at dedicated test sites, and through Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved home testing kits. Mail-in home testing options are gaining in popularity as a convenient alternative to traveling to a testing site. Families with returning college-aged students can have a test waiting at home.

More information is available on the County of Marin’s coronavirus information website.

Stay Informed

Visit the City of Novato COVID-19 webpage at novato.org/coronavirus to sign up for email or text message updates from the City, as well as for information on impacts to City services, City facility closures and cancelled and postponed events, what to do if you are feeling sick, and tips on how to reduce your risk of exposure.

Novato businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19, visit novato.org/COVID19biz for a listing of resources including information regarding unemployment, disability and paid family leave benefits; small business loans and grants; tax assistance; non-profit support; as well as information on workplace health and safety.

For up-to-date information on what other local agencies are doing in response to COVID-19, please visit the following websites:

Novato Unified School District: nusd.org/covid
North Marin Water District: nmwd.com
Novato Sanitary District: novatosan.com
Marin Transit: marintransit.org
Golden Gate Transit: goldengate.org/district/news-media
SMART: sonomamarintrain.org