Manhattan Beach Unified School District

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Keeping our Schools Open » COVID-19 Testing

COVID-19 Testing

Title for COVID-19 Testing Program

MBUSD has launched a free school-based COVID testing program for our students and staff to provide safe and healthy classrooms and campuses. 

Regular voluntary COVID testing helps us to identify cases proactively and early and allows us to prevent further infection by isolating people with positive diagnoses and alerting close contacts to possible exposure. Additionally, COVID testing in compliance with Los Angeles County Public Health Department (LACDPH) helps us to keep students safe, healthy, and able to attend school. 

If a student or staff member is not already enrolled in our free weekly on-campus COVID testing program, we encourage you to provide your consent to participate by completing the registration form here - you only need to fill it out once. 

Our testing program takes place on campus and is supervised by nurses provided by the Malibu Medical Group. Participants can self-swab if they wish, or, if they need assistance, nurses can administer the nasal swab. Nasal swabs are taken from the area just below the bridge of the nose, and, while participants’ eyes may water a bit, they typically experience no pain and very little discomfort. Upon request, participants can provide a saliva sample rather than a nasal sample.

Participating registered students will be able to test every week on an ongoing basis, and all individual results will be emailed directly to the staff or parent email address submitted during the registration process in addition to being shared with the school district. 

Once enrolled, if you have questions or need assistance you can ask your site administrator, or you can send an email to mbusd@malibumedicalgroup.com. 

Please note that on-site testing is only open to registered staff and students who work at or attend the school site where testing is being provided. 

There are several options available to school staff and students to meet close contact testing requirements:

  • Staff and students may continue to use the Beach Cities Health District testing location. You can register and sign up for an appointment using this link. BCHD testing is available M-F from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. BCHD asks that you try to make an appointment, but if no appointments are available and you need a test because you are symptomatic or close contact, they will accommodate walk-ins - please arrive with ample time prior 5 p.m. to ensure that you can submit your sample before the site closes for the evening.

    Testing Opportunities
 
  • Staff and students may test through the on-site testing program - at their own site or MCHS. The timing at your own site may not work to meet the day 3-5 testing requirement; for this reason, our partners at Malibu Medical Group have agreed to accommodate any registered MBUSD staff or student at Mira Costa High School on Mondays and Wednesdays between the hours of 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

  • Staff and students may test with an outside organization or may test using an at-home over-the-counter test and submit their results through the self-attestation form for their school site. It will be important for the test to be marked clearly with the individual’s name and the test date, and each school will provide the link for this purpose.

    If you get tested between days 3 and 5 after the date of last exposure. Tests submitted for this purpose may be lab-verified PCR or antigen tests or FDA-approved over-the-counter at-home tests. Please submit negative test results by following your work site instructions.

    (Note that while over-the-counter self-tests cannot be accepted for test-to-return purposes or the purposes of compliance with the State Health Officer Order related to testing of unvaccinated or decline-to-state employees, they can be accepted to meet current LACDPH close contact testing requirements).

Hermosa Beach

 

CVS Pharmacy—Hermosa Beach (155 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach)

  • 310-372-4345
  • Test type: Molecular Lab test (PCR)
  • Drive-thru testing by appointment, referral not required, testing for all patients ages 3 and up

 

CVS Pharmacy—Hermosa Beach (4235 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach)

  • 310-373-6847
  • Test type: Rapid-result antigen test
  • Testing by appointment, referral not required, testing for all patients ages 3 and up

 

Manhattan Beach

 

Same Day Health—Manhattan Beach (2407 N Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach CA 90266)

  • Test Type: PCR, Rapid Antigen
  • Walk up, appointments recommended, virtual doctor consultation required, insurance accepted

 

Exer Urgent Care—Manhattan Beach (3215 N Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach)

  • 424-295-0540
  • Test Type: PCR, Antigen

 

Redondo Beach

 

CVS Pharmacy—Redondo Beach (316 Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach)

  • 310-540-9183
  • Test type: Molecular Lab test (PCR)
  • Drive-thru testing by appointment, referral not required, testing for all patients ages 3 and up

 

Same Day Health—Redondo Beach (401 S Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach CA 90277)

  • Test Type: PCR, Rapid Antigen
  • Outdoor walk up, virtual doctor consultation required, insurance accepted

 

UCLA Health Redondo Beach Primary & Specialty Care (514 N Prospect Ave, Unit 103, Redondo Beach)

  • 310-937-8555
  • Appointment required, referral required, tests limited to certain patients

 

Exer Urgent Care—Redondo Beach (725 S Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach)

  • 424-296-3100
  • Test Type: PCR, Antigen

 

Walgreens—Redondo Beach (2321 Hawthorne Blvd, Redondo Beach)

  • Test Type: Diagnostic Lab Test (PCR)
  • Testing by appointment, referral not required, testing for all patients ages 3 and up
  • Drive-thru testing available

 

 

In order to be able to continue to attend or return after day 5 -

  • Some close contacts or positive cases must provide evidence of a test taken on day 5. Results must be submitted as soon as they are received. Individuals who do not comply with this will need to stay home from school until the full 10 day quarantine or isolation period has ended.

  • We recommend that individuals submit lab-verified or supervised test results to ensure greater accuracy and reliability when submitting evidence that they do not have COVID-19.
    FDA approved at-home tests are also recognized as valid under some circumstances (see below). 


Importantly, we recommend PCR testing for initial diagnosis (surveillance and close contact testing) and antigen testing for individuals who have previously tested positive and are testing in order to return on Day 5. Antigen tests are a better indicator than the infectious period has passed than the more sensitive PCR tests that can detect non-contagious levels of the virus long after the individual has recovered.


While we always recommend lab-verified or supervised tests, if an individual must submit an over-the-counter test, it needs to be an FDA-authorized test, and:

  • Students must provide
    • A photograph of the negative test with the individual’s name and test date. 
    • A signed school-specific attestation form confirming the test was administered properly and shows results for the individual submitting it (please contact your school for a link to the form). 
  • Employees must provide evidence that the test was observed by the employer or an authorized telehealth proctor.
If viewing FAQ on a smartphone, please click on PDF link to view entire document.
Rapid antigen tests — These tests provide results usually within 30 minutes. These tests can be used in most cases such as if you have symptoms or think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or prior to gathering indoors with those who may be at risk including unvaccinated children, older individuals, and those who are immunocompromised.
 
PCR tests — Typically processed in a laboratory, PCR test results are usually available in 3 to 5 days.