Gonorrhea in Shasta County is reported 44% lower than the US average. If you live in Lakehead, California, and are wondering about STI testing whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind, you can weigh community and public clinics, which are often low-cost or free, against private labs, which usually offer faster results and more flexible scheduling. Consider these options for testing in Lakehead.
Available testing centers
4 testing options are listed for Lakehead, CA. The nearest, Quest Diagnostics, is about 15.3 miles away. Compare private labs and at-home kits below.
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is about 15 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Lakehead, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Shasta County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
2175 Rosaline Avenue, Redding, CA 96001
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
760 East Cypress Avenue, Redding, CA 96001
CMS-certified lab
475 Knollcrest Drive, Redding, CA 96002
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Lakehead. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 118 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Lakehead. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 21 offer telehealth.
Jacob Suazo, MD
Family medicine · 4215 Front Street, Shasta Lake
John Nepomuceno, MD
Family medicine · 1520 Collyer Drive, Redding
Tony Chang, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1255 Liberty Street, Redding
Feoktist Orloff, MD
Family medicine · 2134 Eureka Way, Redding
Paul Davis, DO
Family medicine · 1441 Liberty Street, Redding
Thiruvoipati Nandakumar, MD
Internal medicine · 1100 Butte Street, Redding
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Lakehead, CA publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
Lims Shasta Lake Pharmacy
15 miShasta Lake Drug Store
15 mi
15 mi Owens Pharmacy
20 miRaleys
20 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Lakehead, CA.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Lakehead, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Shasta County, the county that includes Lakehead, compare with California and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~9% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#40 of 58 California counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 31% of the state
| Infection | Shasta County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 287.2 518 cases ▼ 42% | 491.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 100.4 181 cases ▼ 47% | 190.2 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 42.1 76 cases ▲ 158% | 16.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 9.4 17 cases ▼ 51% | 19.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 29.4 53 cases ▼ 37% | 46.7 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Shasta County, chlamydia has fallen from 347 to 287.2 per 100,000 (17%), gonorrhea has fallen from 203.7 to 100.4 per 100,000 (51%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 59.8 to 42.1 per 100,000 (30%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Shasta County.
Local HIV snapshot
Shasta County HIV care continuum (2023)
Shasta County recorded 7.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 14.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Shasta County residents living with HIV, 86% are in care · 75.4% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Shasta County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Sugarloaf rises to the east and Haycock Peak to the west, and between them Lakehead sits far enough off the I-5 corridor that routine healthcare, including STI screening, means a deliberate trip rather than a casual errand. That planning matters most for the younger adults in their late teens and twenties who make up a slice of this small community, since those years carry the highest likelihood of a new STI going undetected without regular screening. Lakehead skews heavily toward homeowners and established households (a majority of adults are married, and average household size reflects families rather than solo renters) which can make this feel like a community where STI testing isn't top of mind.
But ownership and stability don't cancel out the need; they just change how quietly the gap can widen. The workforce here is meaningfully active, and unemployment runs high enough that cost pressure is real for a notable share of residents. A typical rent already claims a substantial chunk of monthly income, so the fee structure and telehealth or extended-hours availability of the nearest listed option, reachable via I-5, can be the practical detail that determines whether screening actually gets scheduled this month.
Getting there
At 4.38/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Lakehead generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 96051 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 96051 area around Lakehead: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Lakehead alone.
Lakehead sits in Shasta County, ZIP 96051. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Lakehead? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Shasta County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under California law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Lakehead-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Lakehead often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on California law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In California, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
California permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in CaliforniaSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
Closest is Quest Diagnostics (15.3 mi), or order an at-home kit to 96051.
Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 287 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the California average.
In California, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 96051; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
A clinic offers same-day answers and on-site treatment; an at-home kit trades that for privacy and convenience, both use real lab testing.
Yes, the CDC recommends STI screening early in pregnancy, since untreated infections can affect the baby.
Expedited partner therapy lets a provider treat a partner without an exam, where state law allows.
Just note your exposure dates and symptoms; for urine tests, hold off urinating ~1 hour before.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.