Coronavirus: LA County opens COVID-19 testing for first responders
Frontline workers in Los Angeles County can now get tested for COVID-19 regardless of symptoms.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Frontline workers in Los Angeles County can now get tested for COVID-19 regardless of symptoms.
Those eligible for testing are defined as workers who come in contact with the public, including first responders, health care professionals, grocery stores workers or critical government personnel.
The Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Fire Department have been plagued with cases. Officials say 71 LAPD employees and 20 LAFD members have contracted the virus.
RELATED: Hundreds of thousands of LA County residents may have been infected with coronavirus, study finds
LAPD Chief Michael Moore said the testing will give frontline workers a peace of mind.
"We lost, just two weeks ago, a young wife of one of our detectives who he was asymptomatic positive with COVID, wasn't aware of it and his wife came down with the virus and unfortunately tragic loss of her life as she was unable to recover from it," Moore said during a press conference.
Testing will be made available at sites across the county beginning Thursday.
RELATED: Coronavirus test: How to get tested for COVID-19 in Southern California
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said workers should contact their employers about how to get the priority testing. People can sign up for the testing online at coronavirus.lacity.org/testing, and the tests can be done at any of the more than 30 centers in operation across L.A. County.
