O.C.’s John Wayne Airport will add clinic with COVID testing

Orange County’s John Wayne Airport is teaming with Hoag health officials to open a clinic next spring that will include rapid COVID-19 testing, flu shots and telehealth appointments.

The 850-square-foot Fly Well Clinic is being designed to serve travelers and airport employees, airport officials said in a release. It will be staffed daily by physicians or physicians’ assistants who are able to prescribe medication.

In a prepared statement Hoag President and Chief Executive Robert T. Braithwaite said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world’s travel habits, shining a spotlight brighter than ever on passengers’ health and travel safety.”

In the meantime, airport and Hoag officials on Monday opened a pop-up health fair in Terminal B offering free flu vaccinations as well as nutrition and exercise tips.

Hoag, a nonprofit healthcare network, operates Hoag Hospital Newport Beach and Hoag Hospital Irvine along with nine health centers and 13 urgent-care centers. Its airport clinic is expected to offer rapid COVID-19 testing (no further details available yet), treatment of cold and flu symptoms, vaccinations, demonstrations, telehealth appointments, blood pressure and other screenings and access to physicians in person and by video.

LAX does not have a clinic but has paramedics and a first aid station on the upper level of its Tom Bradley International Terminal. For nonemergency needs, LAX’s website refers travelers to the 24-hour Reliant Medical Center, 5901 W. Century Blvd., whose services include COVID-19 testing.