Los Angeles to Begin Coronavirus Testing for High-Risk Residents
Infographic by Martha Ramirez. Illustrations courtesy of macrovector, Laura Reed, Becris, and Just Icon.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced the City will begin Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for high-risk residents. As testing is currently limited, only those who meet certain criteria will be eligible to get tested at this time.
“These tests again are for the most vulnerable of Angelenos,” Mayor Garcetti said during Monday’s press briefing.
Only those who are experiencing symptoms and 65 years or older, those with symptoms and have underlying health conditions, and those who are under a mandatory 14 day quarantine period due to a confirmed COVID-19 exposure (with more than 7 days of quarantine remaining) may be eligible for testing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms for Coronavirus are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
The CDC states that high-risk individuals include people aged 65 or older, people living in a nursing home or long-term care facility, people who are immunocompromised (including those undergoing cancer treatment), and people who have certain underlying health conditions such as chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, diabetes, renal failure, or liver disease.
Emergency warning signs for Coronavirus include difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to rouse, and bluish lips or face. Residents who exhibit any of these symptoms should seek out immediate medical attention.
Garcetti assured residents that the online portal where Angelenos can sign up for a testing appointment has launched without any major issues. “So far, the first day, we saw great progress, “ Garcetti said. “The website is up and running. It didn't crash. It's functioning as planned. And about 780 people, probably more by the time I'm speaking now, signed up and got tested today.”
Testing is currently taking place at one of four drive-through testing locations located through Los Angeles. After booking an appointment, residents will receive a confirmation with the date, time, and location for the test.
For the moment, testing is limited to those who live within Los Angeles city limits. However, Garcetti added, “We hope by the end of the week to be able to open that up to folks throughout the county as well, and we're working closely with our county Board of Supervisors in other cities to accomplish just that.”
“We will continue fighting tooth and nail to bring more testing kits and resources to Los Angeles, working with the county, state, and federal governments, with our private sector healthcare partners, with universities, with public labs, with anybody who can help,” Garcetti said. “We're going keep expanding that testing capacity 'til we have that capacity to test more and more people every single day.”
To find out if you are eligible for a test or to schedule an appointment, please visit: https://lacovidprod.service-now.com/rrs.