Beginning this week, Santa Clara County will provide appointment-based testing sites on a consistently scheduled, rotating basis, according to County Supervisor Joe Simitian.

Testing sites will take place in cities including Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale.

"Convenience is key," Simitian said. "If we want more people to be tested, providing locally available and convenient sites is essential."

The new sites will require an appointment, which will be open for scheduling three days before the testing date. Appointments can be scheduled online at scl.fulgentgenetics.com/appointment/screen/landing.

Simitian said the county moved to an appointment-based system to ensure that people can be tested promptly without having to wait in long lines, or "even worse, discovering they would have to come back another time."

"Residents will now be able to know when testing will be available in their community and can more easily plan in advance," he said.

The new county testing sites will be operating in August and September on the following dates:

• Cupertino Senior Center: first and third Wednesdays, Aug. 5, Aug. 19, Sept. 2 and Sept. 16, 21251 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino.

• Los Altos Youth Center: second Thursdays, Aug. 13 and Sept. 10, 1 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos.

• Los Altos Hills Town Hall: first Fridays, Aug. 7 and Sept. 4, 26379 W. Fremont Blvd., Los Altos Hills.

• Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts: first and third Tuesdays, Aug. 4, Aug. 18, Sept. 1 and Sept. 15, 500 Castro St., Mountain View.

• Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium: second and fourth Fridays, Aug. 14, Aug. 28, Sept. 11 and Sept. 25, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto.

• Saratoga Friendship Hall: fourth Thursdays, Aug. 27 and Sept. 24, 19841 Prospect Road, Saratoga.

• Murphy Park: second and fourth Mondays, Aug. 10, Aug. 24, Sept. 14 and Sept. 28, 260 N. Sunnyvale Ave., Sunnyvale.

Testing will be conducted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be free. Doctor's notes and health insurance are also not required.

Find comprehensive coverage on the Midpeninsula's response to the new coronavirus by Palo Alto Online, the Mountain View Voice and the Almanac here.