Pasadena Unified Covid Testing Snarls Traffic for Hours, Angers Parents and Local Residents

COVID-19 testing at Pasadena Unified headquarters on Monday caused a continuous mile-long line of traffic for much of the day as hundreds of parents and children waited up to 4 hours to be seen by medical technicians.

PUSD schools reopen Tuesday morning. The testing was not a requirement for students to return to class, according to Diane D’Arco Orona, PUSD manager of Administrative Services.

Pasadena Unified spokesperson Hilda Ramirez Horvath said that 600 tests were completed by noon on Monday.

The line of cars carrying parents and children snaked around eight blocks through the heart of the South Lake Avenue shopping district, snarling traffic, blocking access to street parking, driveways and parking lot entrances.

The bumper-to-bumper line moved east on Del Mar Boulevard to South Lake Ave., went down South Lake Ave. to California Boulevard where it headed west over to Oak Knoll Avenue, then went up Oak Knoll Avenue to the site entrance, according to Pasadena Police Lt. Rudy Lemos.

Many residents and PUSD parents were upset over the traffic snarls, contacting city and school district leadership with complaints as well as venting at Pasadena Now and on social media.

City spokesperson Lisa Derderian said Monday afternoon the city was inundated with calls regarding traffic issues and “the significant impact to residents and businesses” but had not been told by PUSD about the clinic in advance and was unaware it was occurring.

Derderian said the Pasadena Public Health Department was not involved in the event.

The testing and vaccinations were the second round made available over the past week, as the district also held three days of testing on December 20, 28 and 30, testing 827 students and staff members at the Rose Bowl.

School Board Member Scott Phelps defended the testing event Monday, saying, “The line of cars at the Rose Bowl last week was over a mile long. This is normal during a surge. I don’t know why people would expect otherwise.”

Phelps added, “I have been through the clinic three times. I personally know it is very well run.”

D’Arco Orona said late Monday afternoon, “We stopped allowing parents to enter the testing line at 3 p.m. today. Staff worked overtime to finish testing those in line by 3 p.m.”

“If a parent is interested in testing prior to returning to school, our clinic will be open at 8 a.m. [Tuesday],  with no appointment necessary,” she said.

D’Arco Orona added that PUSD will resume its regularly scheduled testing at schools this week and that the LA County Office of Education (LACOE) has also made available a take-home testing kit for K-12 students, which the PUSD will make available later this week.

COVID-19 testing appointments are also available through myturn.ca.gov., and at several local markets and drug stores.

Spokesperson Ramirez-Horvath said 80% of PUSD staff have uploaded their proof of vaccine to the district’s employee site so far. Horvath added that more staff may have been vaccinated, but have not yet uploaded their records.

Meanwhile, PUSD Board President Dr. Elizabeth Pomeroy was upbeat about the day’s testing, saying, “This is like a marathon of student health. There are hundreds of students here getting tested, with all the attention we can give them for a safe start to school.”