San Clemente City Clears Path For Memorialcare To Operate Testing Center At Former Hospital

Press release from the City of San Clemente:

April 01, 2020

THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE AND MEMORIALCARE

City of San Clemente Clears Path for MemorialCare to Operate COVID-19 Testing Center at Former Hospital Campus

(San Clemente, Calif.) – With reliable testing of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) so important to controlling its spread throughout local communities, The City of San Clemente and MemorialCare announced plans for MemorialCare to operate a COVID-19 testing center on its former hospital campus.

“The medical community, locally and across the nation, has made it clear that we need more testing to combat the spread of the coronavirus,” said Tony Struthers, Vice President of MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center. “At this crucial time, we are pleased to be bringing vital testing resources to San Clemente and South Orange County.”

The City Council, utilizing its emergency authority, has modified the applicable zoning ordinance to allow the site located at 654 Camino de los Mares to be used as a mobile testing center for the duration of the emergency. The City Council’s action allows MemorialCare to move forward with plans to open a testing center on the site.

“The City understands that testing is key to stopping the virus from spreading undetected in our community,” said Dan Bane, Mayor of the City of San Clemente. “Increased testing will allow MemorialCare and other area providers to identify those carrying the virus, limit their exposure to others and help to ensure that they can access appropriate care. We are pleased that we were able to work with MemorialCare to identify this critical use and, through the City Council and City Staff’s leadership, clear a path for the testing center to become operational.”

Tony Struthers of MemorialCare added: “Increasing access to safe COVID-19 testing will provide critical support to broader community efforts to reduce the spread of the virus and will allow MemorialCare and other area hospitals and providers to dedicate staffing and other critical resources to best care for affected patients. We greatly appreciate the decisive action taken by the City Council and the collaboration and leadership of City officials in allowing MemorialCare to utilize the campus to serve the needs of the community during this crisis.”

MemorialCare announced that the San Clemente site will be used to test patients exhibiting specific symptoms related to the COVID-19 infection, based on physicians’ orders and in line with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Testing will be offered on a drive-thru basis, which enhances safety and reduces potential spread by limiting exposure of clinicians and patients in hospitals and other health care locations to those suspected of having the virus.

MemoriaiCare said that it currently expects the testing center to be operational shortly as test kits are secured. Once the testing center becomes operational, patients exhibiting symptoms should contact their health care provider before making an appointment at the facility.

Click the following link for the PDF. City of San Clemente and MemorialCare Announce Coronavirus Testing Site

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If you have questions regarding the COVID-19(Coronavirus) email them to covid19@san-clemente.org

This press release was produced by the City of San Clemente. The views expressed here are the author’s own.