Long Beach launches expanded COVID-19 testing site

Due to the pandemic’s winter surge, Long Beach Health Department officials Friday announced an expanded drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing site for residents to open Monday.

With the capacity to test 3,000 people a day, the public testing clinic will be located in the former Boeing parking lot, near 3590 E. Wardlow Road.

The Boeing site will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 to 5 p.m. weekdays, effective Jan. 10.

Additional city testing sites are at Veterans Stadium, Doris Topsy-Elvord Community Center, Cabrillo High School and California State University, Long Beach.

The previous COVID-19 testing site site at Long Beach City College’s Pacific Coast Campus will transition Monday to offer vaccines only, no testing.

To date, the Health Department has administered 741,114 COVID-19 tests, free of charge, in Long Beach.

Since the most recent surge, which began in late December, the city has regularly administered 5,000 or more tests per day. On Jan. 5, the city administered 7,382 tests, which is the highest recorded since the start of the pandemic.

Health Department officials said people should get tested if any symptoms are present or if they have been in close contact with someone who has or is suspected to have the virus, regardless of vaccination status.

Testing appointments can be made at longbeach.gov/covid19testing or by calling 562-570-4636.

For other sites across Los Angeles County, visit https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/.