California Coronavirus Testing Task Force

In April, Governor Gavin Newsom established the California COVID-19 Testing Task Force to quickly and significantly increase the state’s COVID-19 testing capacity. The Task Force works to ensure that every Californian who needs a test can get one. The task force is co-lead by Dr. Gil Chavez with the California Department of Public Health and Dr. Bechara Choucair with Kaiser Permanente.

Overarching mission

As part of California’s broader response to COVID-19, the Testing Task Force seeks to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and support public health by improving accessibility, equity, timeliness, and sustainability of testing.

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Group Testing Guidance (PDF)

Role of Testing Task Force

Guide the use and operations of limited number of state-based testing sites

Share information and track progress on testing and testing gaps

Bring together experts to develop guidance to enable better testing

Drive targeted initiatives to improve testing access, timeliness, and equity

Provide informational resources to Californians and other partners and stakeholders (e.g., local health jurisdictions)

How Testing Data is Tracked

Most local health departments report COVID-19 test results via the California Reportable Disease Information Exchange (CalREDIE), a system managed by CDPH. Labs and local health departments are required to report both positive and negative COVID-19 results. This daily, point-in-time data is collected in CalREDIE each afternoon and reported to the public the following day. The Task Force is working to that data reported remains uniform and timely.

Additional Resources

The Temporary Allowance letter has been posted. It is available here.

Information about the allowance has also been added the Guidance for Schools. Click here.

The Congregate Living Facility Guidance is posted at Guidance for Congregate Living Facilities Performing Waived Antigen Testing (ca.gov).

Links to the temporary allowance letter and the congregate living guidance have been added to the LFS COVID for Labs webpage. Click here.

20210116_TAT dashboard (PDF)– Added on 1/21/2021
20210116_TAT Dashboard_ADA Compliant (XLSX) – Added on 1/21/2021
TTF Diagnostic Algorithm (PDF) – Added on 12/8/2020
2020-11-27_OS_Utilization Dashboard (ADA) (PDF)– Added on 11/30/2020
Antigen Guidance – Added on 9/14/2020
Testing for COVID-19: PCR, Antigen, and Serology 8-6-20 (PDF) – Added on 9/8/2020
Testing Task Force Playbook (PDF) – Added on 6/26/2020
Guidance for Sample Pooling (PDF) – Added on 6/24/2020
Testing Site Rebalancing Approach (PDF) – Added on 6/3/2020
Testing Task Force FAQ (PDF)– Added on 5/22/2020
Supply Distribution Information (PDF)
Specimen collection options (PDF)
COVID-19 General Public Serology Guidance (PDF)

Expanding Access to Testing: Updated Guidance on Prioritization for COVID-19 Testing

Updated COVID-19 Testing Guidance – Last Updated on 9/22/2020
Expanding Access to Testing: Updated Guidance on Prioritization for COVID-19 Testing 05/1/2020
- Updated Interim Guidance on Prioritization for COVID-19 Laboratory Testing 04/19/2020

Expanding Access to Community Testing: CDPH Valencia Branch Laboratory

CDPH – PLAYBOOK to Stand Up Community-Based Collection Sites (PDF) – Last Updated on 12/28/2020
For more information about the Valencia Branch Laboratory, visit the project webpage.