Rite Aid opening dozens of coronavirus testing sites across SoCal

The opening of the sites comes as California revamps its guidelines for COVID-19 testing to focus on those in hospitals or considered at high risk of infection.

Thursday, July 16, 2020
Rite Aid opening dozens of coronavirus testing sites across SoCal
The opening of the sites comes as California's surging virus caseload has left testing supplies short and lengthened the wait time for results.

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Rite Aid is opening 161 new drive-thru coronavirus testing sites Thursday, including dozens across the Southland.

The new testing sites will use self-swab tests overseen by Rite Aid pharmacists. Testing is open to all adults 18 years of age or older, regardless if the person is showing symptoms, the chain said.

Registration is required and a time slot to be tested can be scheduled on Rite Aid's website.

Results are expected in three to five days, a company spokesperson said. Tests will be done weekdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A full list of the locations can be found here.

RELATED: CA overhauls guidelines to prioritize testing amid spike in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations

California has revamped its guidelines for COVID-19 testing to focus on those in hospitals or considered at high risk of infection as the surging pandemic strains testing capacity.

Rite Aid stated the expansion increases the number of its testing sites nationwide to 258.

The opening of the sites comes as California's surging virus caseload has left testing supplies short and lengthened the wait time for results.

The state revamped its guidelines for COVID-19 testing to focus on those in hospitals or considered at high risk of infection as the surging pandemic strains testing capacity.

In the next few weeks, Los Angeles County plans to aggressively expand coronavirus testing capacity by 65%. Their focus will be hot spots, including Montebello, South Gate, Panorama City, Downey, Norwalk and Compton. There will also be more testing in Bellflower, Pomona, El Monte and East L.A.

The Anaheim Convention Center recently opened as a large-scale testing site for Orange County residents.

Some of the Rite Aid locations in Southern California providing testing starting Thursday include the following:

-- 1208 W. Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena;

-- 107 S. Long Beach Blvd., Compton;

-- 2059 S. Garey Ave., Pomona;

-- 1035 N. Magnolia Ave., Anaheim;

-- 1700 W. Whittier Blvd,, La Habra;

-- 9333 Whittier Blvd., Pico Rivera;

-- 8447 Alondra Blvd., Paramount;

-- 2300 Harbor Blvd. Suite G, Costa Mesa;

-- 30551 Gateway Place, Rancho Mission Viejo;

-- 1356 West Avenue J, Lancaster;

-- 37950 47th Street E., Palmdale;

-- 13803 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar;

-- 1038 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; and

-- 11321 National Blvd., Los Angeles

City News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.