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San Francisco offers free coronavirus testing to all essential workers

FILE - In this April 20, 2020, file photo, members of the Los Angele Fire Department wear protective equipment as they conduct a new coronavirus test on a woman, left, in the Skid Row district in Los Angeles. The city of Los Angeles will offer free coronavirus testing to all residents regardless of whether they have symptoms. Until now tests were reserved for those with symptoms and frontline employees like health care and grocery store workers. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – San Francisco on Monday announced it is now offering free coronavirus testing to any person who must leave their home for work and interact with the public, making social distancing not possible during the pandemic.

According to officials, the new testing policy expands on the previous one in place, which originally offered testing only to essential workers in San Francisco who exhibited symptoms.


Under the new policy, anyone who lives in San Francisco and is an essential or frontline worker is able to get tested. They do not need to be exhibiting symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Essential workers include those who leave their homes to do their job and cannot maintain social distance or who interact with the public.

Adults living in San Francisco are eligible to be tested if they are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to someone with coronavirus in the past 14 days.

Essential workers do not need a doctor’s note to schedule a test and they will not be charged for the test.

Do not show up to the testing sites without visiting this website to schedule a test. After signing up, the city will let you know which testing site to go to.

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