Drive-Thru Coronavirus Testing Offered At Malibu City Hall

MALIBU, CA — The City of Malibu is partnering with Malibu Medical Group to offer drive-thru COVID-19 testing at Malibu City Hall. Testing, which is available to anyone who registers, will be offered:

• Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 4 if demand is high

Guests must be in line by 2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday in order to be tested that day.

The city previously partnered with Malibu Medical and Sean Penn's nonprofit Community Organized Relief Effort to test over 3,500 Greater Malibu residents and employees throughout April. Tests stopped once more testing became available, according to Malibu Medical owner Dr. Lisa Benya.

"It became apparent that there were tons of sites available throughout the city, and also my office came up to test hundreds a day as well, so we decided that once we got a better handle for the first couple months and the cases were low, we could switch to making my office a testing center," Benya said in August, before noting that she was in talks with the city to restart testing, especially during flu season.

As COVID cases skyrocket, testing is back. Nasal swab tests will be available to everyone, and symptomatic patients will be offered Rapid Antigen tests to help identify positive cases more quickly. Rapid Antigen tests will have results ready in an hour of test time, while nasal swab test results will be available within 24-48 hours, according to a city news release. Results will be sent directly to patients through the laboratory portal.

“I am incredibly proud and grateful to our local medical providers, our CERT and other community volunteers and our City staff for making this crucial testing service possible at City Hall,” Mayor Mikke Pierson said. “It is also incredibly exciting and inspiring that we are nearly at the point that a vaccine will be available to the public, and can be administered to our community at our own City Hall.”

As Pierson noted, the city is also in talks with Malibu Medical to offer vaccinations once they become available. On Nov. 23, the City Council authorized the use of the City Hall parking lot for testing and vaccinations, and Malibu Medical has submitted an application to Los Angeles County and the CDC to begin offering vaccines. Details on vaccine eligibility are not yet available.

To schedule a nasal swab test in Malibu, residents must register and complete this form, which requires information on insurance and demographics. Uninsured patients will be asked to provide a drivers license number or social security number, and sign an attestation that they are uninsured.