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No COVID-19 Symptoms? You May Have To Wait For Your Test In LA
The entrance to the drive-thru test site in Crenshaw gives drivers instruction on what they need before receiving their tests. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)
If you've tried to make an appointment to get tested for COVID-19 in L.A. County and you don't have symptoms, you probably got a message telling you there are no available appointments. Try back later.
You may remember when Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the city was the first in the nation to open up testing to everyone, whether or not they had symptoms or a known contact with someone who had COVID-19.
After we got an email from someone who said they were unable to book a test, we checked it out ourselves and found the same message:
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When we asked Garcetti's office, we were told testing slots for asymptomatic people are full through the weekend and that they are seeing more demand.
Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of the county's department of health services, told us today that people with symptoms are still the top priority followed by two other categories:
"One is the close contacts of individuals who have been identified through contact tracing efforts or if you know that you're a close contact as defined by public health guidelines. And then secondly if you live or work in a high risk congregate care setting that you would need to be tested as well."
So what if you may have been exposed but have no symptoms? Ghaly says the advice remains the same: you should quarantine for 14 days.
OVERALL LOOK AT LA COUNTY NUMBERS:
Here's a look at longer-term trends in the county. To see more, visit our California COVID-19 Tracker and choose L.A. County or any other California county that interests you. These numbers are current as of Tuesday, June 15:
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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