After expanding COVID-19 testing to all in LA County, amount of daily administered tests triples
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Just one day after announcing free coronavirus testing for everyone in Los Angeles County, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said city-run testing sites tested roughly 10,000 people.
On Thursday, the number of administered tests tripled compared to the amount usually done in one day. Other testing sites run by the county tested about 4,000 people on Thursday.
Garcetti says the city could potentially provide up to 50,000 tests daily if needed, but so far there hasn't been that level of demand.
Earlier this week, L.A. became the first major city in the country to offer testing to all residents, regardless of symptoms.
The county and city have steadily increased their number of sites and daily testing capacity since they opened more than a month ago. The 34 sites can now conduct 18,000 tests a day. Over the past month, they have conducted 140,000 tests.
The testing for people without symptoms is open to all county residents, but only at the eight testing sites that are located within the city of Los Angeles. To go to a city site, you do not have to be a resident of the city, but you do have to be a resident of Los Angeles County.
The other county testing sites located outside the city are available for people who meet certain conditions, such as those who are showing symptoms, members of vulnerable populations or front-line workers, such as rideshare drivers and grocery employees.
