April 25, 2024 Your Source for Brentwood News

FDA-Authorized Coronavirus Testing at Santa Monica’s Shore Hotel

Drive-thru and walk-up testing seven-days a week  

The award-winning Shore Hotel, located steps away from the world-famous Santa Monica Pier, has provided part of its outdoor space for a COVID-19 drive-thru and walk-up testing site open 7 days a week from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. with no appointments necessary. After hours services and mobile response is also available by appointment.

With studies showing that an average of 1 in 3 Los Angeles residents are contracting COVID-19, testing sites are overwhelmed. Steve Farzam, Chief Operating Officer of the Shore Hotel, saw a need for a quick and efficient testing facility for hotel employees and their loved ones that was affordable or at no cost. 

Farzam, a former paramedic and EMT who volunteered with Hurricane Katrina relief, wanted a way to get hotel employees and their families tested without having to go to a testing facility where they would have to wait in line for 3-4 hours with people who could potentially be carrying the virus.

Sharing a mutual vision with Dr. Jason Rhee, a licensed physician in California, Farzam devoted resources to Rhee who mobilized an authorized testing site known as 911 COVID Testing. Rhee’s core principle is “for all of us medical professionals to always be a patient advocate while simultaneously serving the greater good.”

Seeing the massive demand from community members and local businesses to have a local testing site, Rhee and his team decided to quickly expand testing to the community at large. 

With a “think positive and test negative” motto 911 COVID Testing has provided incredible medical professionals and have made wait times almost nonexistent. 

The testing site offers three types of testing. They encourage all persons who want to get tested to consult their own primary medical professional for guidance on which test suits them.

One is an antibody test that requires one drop of blood from a finger prick. This test looks at two proteins, the IGM and IGG proteins. Those two proteins help to show if the individual has been exposed to the virus. Those markers can appear as early as 72 hours after initial exposure with a peak around the 10th day. The second protein can plateau around the 70th day. This is helpful if people wanted to know if they had it earlier in the year. This test isn’t recommended for current exposure. 

The second is a Rapid Antigen Test made by a local Santa Monica company called Access Bio. Access Bio is now one of only two companies in the world to receive FDA authorization for all available testing products on the market.  This U.S. made rapid test takes a nasal swab and within 3-10 minutes will show results. 

Farzam became concerned when he learned that his hotel employees were improperly being given only rapid tests at a local clinic when they were asymptomatic.  Currently, the antigen tests that have received EUAs from FDA are authorized for diagnostic testing in symptomatic persons. Unfortunately, people are getting a negative result because antigen levels in specimens collected either before symptom onset, or late in the course of infection, may be below the limit of detection of virus of the test.

The third test is a PCR test which, according to the CDC, is the “gold standard of all tests”. Requiring either an oral swab or the preferred nasal swab, the specimen gets sent to an CLIA-approved and authorized lab in Culver City which gives a 24-hour turn around with very accurate results directly to your cell phone and email. 

Farzam warns people that some other sites may not be using FDA authorized tests, since they are readily available on the internet. “They’re using knock-off tests that cost less and give results with no verified data behind them,” 

The site located at Shore Hotel offers two different ways to get tested either drive-up or walk-up. The drive-up facility can do 11 cars every 7 minutes,  averaging about 80 cars an hour. The walk-up testing has a maximum wait time of 10 minutes but the average wait time is around 5-8 minutes. 

A “mobile strike team” has also been assembled which consists of  well experienced allied health professionals. This team deploys to businesses west of the 405 that have people in need of testing. They set up a mobile site and do all of the testing in whatever space they have. 

The antibody test is $95 for the general public with a 50 percent off offer if the individual buys any other test. The rapid antigen test goes for $125, however, a $50 discount is available for first responders and essential workers (firefighters, police, emergency medical service staff) with proof of identification. PCR is test is available at no cost provided you have insurance or $199 for cash pay.

To find out more about the types of testing the Shore Hotel offers or to make an appointment to get tested visit: www.911CovidTesting.com or call 310-569-5784

Related Posts

(Video) Ariana Madix at LA Times Festival of Books Answers: Have You Thought About How This Will Affect Scheana?

April 25, 2024

April 25, 2024

The Vanderpump Rules and Broadway star answers questions about how she spends a day in her life. @ariana madix @latimes...

Lufthansa Boeing 747 First Attempt at Landing on Runway Fails at LAX

April 24, 2024

April 24, 2024

Video Captures Bumpy Landing at Los Angeles International Airport A Lufthansa Airlines Boeing 747 encountered some difficulties during its landing...

Upcoming Events and Programs at The Donald Kaufman Brentwood Branch Library

April 24, 2024

April 24, 2024

Kindergarten and CrEATive Eats Kids’ Cooking Class Highlight Upcoming Events The Brentwood Library is set to host its third installment...

Family Seeks Public’s Help in Finding Missing Man in Los Angeles

April 24, 2024

April 24, 2024

LAPD Detectives Investigating: Last Seen Near Del Rey Lagoon The family of Fazlollah Elahi, alongside detectives from the Los Angeles...

Caitlin Cronenberg’s Scintillating Debut Film Humane Is A Deadly Comedy of Terrors

April 24, 2024

April 24, 2024

Director Caitlin Cronenberg and Star Emily Hampshire Discuss Making of the Film The new film Humane, the feature film debut...

Enroll at Camp Galileo for a Summer of Innovation, Friendship and Fun

April 24, 2024

April 24, 2024

Camp Galileo is ready to enroll campers this summer at its five West Los Angeles locations.  Every week is a...

Luca Guadagnino’s New Film Challengers Serves Up a Sexy Tennis Drama

April 24, 2024

April 24, 2024

Zendaya Stars in a Love Triangle for the Ages in this Must-See Film By Dolores Quintana Academy Award and BAFTA...

Caltrans District & Provides Update on Topanga Canyon Landslide Closure

April 23, 2024

April 23, 2024

Landslide More Serious than 1940s Slide, Involves Thousands of Rocks Caltrans District 7 has updated the situation related to the...

The Getty Museum Adds Vibrant Manfredi Painting to Collection

April 23, 2024

April 23, 2024

17th-Century Genre Painting Now on Display at the Getty The J. Paul Getty Museum has expanded its collection with the...

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Reveals Budget Proposal for Upcoming Year

April 23, 2024

April 23, 2024

Mayor Bass’s Plan Prioritizes Housing, Safety, and Accountability Mayor Karen Bass unveiled her proposed budget on Monday, outlining her vision...

Supreme Court Debates Legality of Ticketing Homeless Individuals, Hears Grants Pass Case

April 22, 2024

April 22, 2024

Landmark Case Raises Questions of Cruel and Unusual Punishment The Supreme Court engaged in a lengthy debate on Monday, lasting...

Taste of the Nation Returns to Culver City: Culinary Event Devoted to Fighting Childhood Hunger

April 22, 2024

April 22, 2024

Top Chefs and Tastemakers Join Together May 4th for No Kid Hungry’s Charity Event Taste of the Nation for No...

Extremist’s Arsenal: Felon’s Hate-Fueled Weapons Cache Leads to Federal Time

April 22, 2024

April 22, 2024

Man Was Part of a Hate Group, Posted Calls for Genocide and Racist Remarks Ryan Scott Bradford, a 35-year-old man...

(Video) Ariana Madix Confirms Something About Her Will Open Soon at LA Times Festival of Books

April 22, 2024

April 22, 2024

Ariana Madix answers the questions that fans want to ask at the Festival of Books as she appears to support...

Comedian Michelle Collins Brings her Big Natural Tour to LA

April 21, 2024

April 21, 2024

She’s funny, tall, glam and finally long-legging her way across these United States… it’s the Michelle Collins stand-up comedy tour...