Los Angeles Is First Major US City to Offer Free Coronavirus Tests

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty

In an effort to keep the city as safe as possible during this pandemic, Los Angeles has officially become the first major US city to offer free COVID-19 testing to all of its residents.

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the big news on Wednesday, revealing that the testing will be offered to all residents whether or not they’re experiencing detectable symptoms.

“So long as COVID-19 spreads, we have to scale up our response—and because this disease can be a silent killer, we have carefully built the capacity to get more people tested,” Garcetti said to his residents in a press release. “No one should have to wait, wonder, or risk infecting others. Don’t leave it to chance. Schedule a test.”

Even though Mayor Garcetti’s announcement first seemed to suggest that the free testing would be reserved for city residents only, the press release makes it clear that they will actually extend to everyone who currently resides in Los Angeles County. To accomplish this, regional government has established an online portal where residents can schedule a test, with priority for same or next-day testing given to those who are showing symptoms and/or are frontline workers.

The safest path out of this pandemic, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom, is for testing to continue increasing statewide, just as it is in California.