WATCH: UCSF Dr. Alok Patel talks coronavirus testing kits, possible drive-thru testing

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Dr. Alok Patel, a pediatrician at the University of California, San Francisco, sat down with ABC7's Ama Daetz to answer questions about the novel coronavirus.

He addressed Pres. Donald Trump's mention of potential drive-thru testing during his address Friday afternoon and the availability of coronavirus testing kits in California.

In reference to possible drive-thru testing for the coronavirus, Patel says there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered on the idea.

The idea was first mentioned during Trump's address Friday when he declared a national emergency because of the virus.

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"My first thought in theory, if there's a way to screen Americans and get them to a testing site, it may not only be able to diagnose more people, it may keep people out of urgent cares or hospitals where they can potentially get other people infected," he said.

Patel said there are still lot of key parts missing in this idea -- including what to do about the people who can't access the drive-thru, like the homeless or someone who doesn't have a car, and whether the tests will be tracked.

"I like the overall idea," he said. "We're just going to see if the execution matches it."

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In terms of testing kit availability and Gov. Gavin Newsom's concerns over the number of kits available in California, Patel says those tests need to be available for those at risk or those who have been traveling.

"We really have to make sure we have the availability of the tests, but also have all the right chemicals to run the tests," Patel said. "And then people have to have access to them."

To watch the full interview with Dr. Patel, see the video above.