West Olympia’s Sea Mar health center is now offering COVID-19 tests for free

Sea Mar Community Health Centers is now testing for COVID-19 at no charge to patients. Other health clinics in Thurston County have also begun COVID-19 testing, some make testing available to anyone while others only for their recurring patients.

Olympia’s Sea Mar Health Clinic on 3030 Limited Lane NW will be testing people for COVID-19 free of charge 1-4 p.m. Fridays. Patients are encouraged to call in advance to consult with a Sea Mar doctor and schedule an appointment at the drive-thru testing facility. Patients without appointment will not be turned away, but may have to wait until those with appointments have been tested.

Patients can check in without entering Sea Mar’s building by calling the front desk. Clinicians will then come to the patients car and administer the nasal swab test. The drive-thru clinic is set up so patients do not need to leave their cars and so proper safety measure are maintained. Walk up appointments are also permitted so those without access to personal vehicles can be tested as well. This also takes place outside in the drive-thru course.

The facility will be closed on Friday, July 3, for the national holiday.

Where else to get tested

Thurston County has multiple locations for coronavirus testing, some of which require a consultation first and some that test their prior patients only.

• MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care facilities in Lacey and Olympia: Will test all patients and accepts walk-ins; however, calling to schedule an appointment is recommended to ensure a speedy test and little wait time. The Lacey clinic is located at 5128 Yelm Hwy SE suite e, Lacey, WA; to schedule an appointment call (360) 763-7040. The Olympia location is 345 Cooper Point Rd NW #103, Olympia, WA; call (360) 763-7515 to schedule an appointment.

• Providence Hawks Prairie Family Medicine: The drive-thru site at Hawks Prairie tests patients who show symptoms of COVID-19 (congestion, trouble breathing, loss of taste or smell, fever, cough) Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The facility has the capacity to test 400 patients daily and has tested over 5000 people thus far. Only two percent of tests have come back positive so far, according to Angela Maki, Director of Communication and External Affairs for Southwest Washington. Appointments are recommended but not required. Located at 2555 Marvin Rd NE Lacey, WA; call (360) 493-7800 to schedule a evaluation and appointment

• Kaiser Permanente of Olympia: Requires patients to have a phone appointment and be evaluated by a nurse who will determine if they need to be screened. If they do, they will be logged into the hospital networks system and directed to the clinic for a test. Tests are administered Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (360) 923-7000 to schedule a phone consultation.

• ABC Pediatrics: Only testing patients they have treated before.

• Pioneer Family Practice: Testing established patients by appointment only. Patients can be tested Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (360) 413-8600 to schedule an appointment.

• South Sound Pediatrics: Patients who have been to the clinic before are eligible to make an appointment with a doctor who will determine whether a test is needed.

This story was originally published June 27, 2020 at 5:45 AM.