The latest news from Verily
Back to all posts
Verily, in collaboration with the California Governor’s office, federal, state and local public health authorities, will launch pilot intended to expand access to COVID-19 risk screening and testing for high risk individuals at Bay Area locations
Sunday, March 15, 2020
A coalition of scientists, public health officials, and citizens nationwide is uniting in the fight to contain the
COVID-19
pandemic. While headway is being made through social distancing efforts, it's clear that a more systematic means of risk assessment and testing is also critical.
In collaboration with the California Governor’s office, federal, state and local public health authorities, Verily is helping to establish testing sites in the Bay Area and an online tool to increase risk screening and testing for people at high risk of COVID-19. The tool will triage people who are concerned about their COVID-19 risk into testing sites based on guidance from public health officials and test availability.
Californians will be able to take an online COVID-19 screener survey through Project Baseline beginning Monday, March 16. People who meet eligibility and requirements for testing will be directed to mobile testing sites based on capacity, where they will complete a nasal swab test. Once tested, individuals will be informed of their COVID-19 test results within a few days.
To protect the most vulnerable, the COVID-19 testing pilot program will begin by testing the highest risk individuals at select sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, where there is a significant volume of known cases. As more testing kits and sites become available, we plan to scale the capacity.
Ultimately, our goal is to help local authorities expand testing access in California as the need continues to increase. The program is in its early stages, and we will take the time to assess operations at pilot sites in the Bay Area before rolling out to additional sites. We are working closely with Governor Newsom’s office, federal authorities and local public health authorities to ensure we have the right capabilities in place to help more people over the coming weeks.
Launched in 2017 as an effort to map human health, Project Baseline is focused on advancing science and bridging the gap between clinical research and clinical care. The Baseline Platform delivers the core technology infrastructure to enable decentralized screening and support broader accessibility. The Baseline Platform securely collects and stores health information and is compliant with federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual's data. Data is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols.
We’re honored to help support such an important public health program. By connecting people with testing when it’s most needed, we hope to contribute to the efforts to address COVID-19.
The Baseline COVID-19 Program is live at
projectbaseline.com/covid19
. Individuals who take the online COVID-19 screener survey and meet eligibility requirements for testing will be directed to mobile testing sites based on capacity, where they will complete a nasal swab test. With this pilot, we have planned a staged roll-out for appointments. Appointments will continue to expand through this program as we scale in the near future.
Please note: this program is intended to expand access to COVID-19 risk screening and testing. This program is not intended for people experiencing
severe
cough, shortness of breath, fever, or other concerning symptoms who may need more acute medical care, as our mobile testing sites are not currently prepared to provide acute medical attention. We are early in this pilot and are going to be learning more that will help refine COVID-19 risk screening and testing.
For the latest on COVID-19 screening, visit the Baseline COVID-19 Program website. We will continue to provide regular updates on testing as the Baseline COVID-19 Program expands.
What is Project Baseline?
Project Baseline is a technology platform that supports research and community health initiatives. We’re focused on making it easy and engaging for people to contribute to the map of human health and learn more about their own health. The platform securely collects and stores health information. It is compliant with federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual's data. Data is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols.
What is Verily?
Project Baseline was founded by Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet focused on life sciences and healthcare, and sister company to Google.
Will this affect my insurance or medical services?
No. We will not share any information with your insurance or medical providers without your consent. You and your clinician will continue to make decisions about your care.
How will you protect my privacy?
We are committed to maintaining high privacy standards and keeping your data safe. Project Baseline follows federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual's data. Data in Verily’s possession is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols.
Will my information be used for advertising?
No, your information will not be used for advertising.
This post was updated on Monday, March 16, 2020, at 4 PM PT.
next
previous
