If you have driven past the Forum in Inglewood over the last few days you have undoubtedly noticed the hundreds of vehicle cones that have transformed the parking lot into a myriad of vehicle lanes and COVID-19 testing stations for Los Angeles County Residents. The site is one of a number of sites set-up by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Department of Public Health and Health Services.
INGLEWOOD TODAY spoke with Mr. Pono, Public Information Officer for the County of Los Angeles, who explained that the Forum testing site is equipped to test 350 patients each day while some of the other 34 sites throughout Los Angeles County can accommodate 100-500 individuals per day. The county has established a goal to eventually test 10,000 clients per day.
Testing is available to all residents of L.A. County who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, which are essentially flu-like symptoms with high fever and coughing. For individuals who are experiencing severe symptoms, they are strongly advised to call their doctor and if they are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, they should call 9-1-1.
The county test facilities are by appointment only. When Inglewood clients enter the Forum facility, each testing client must give their registration number, which is generated by the screening website http://coronavirus.lacity.org/testing. Residents of LA County without digital access can call 2-1-1, where operators can assist with online registration to determine eligibility and appointment details.
There are two types of tests: a nasal swab and an oral swab. The nasal swab is administered by trained hospital or fire department staff. The mouth swabs are self-administered, meaning clients must swab their own mouths/throats using instructions provided to them at the site. The testing process takes between 5 and 10 minutes but waiting times may vary. Clients are asked to refrain from eating or drinking anything 20 minutes before the testing appointment.
The tests will be done while individuals remain in their vehicle and the sites can accommodate pedestrian traffic, as long as the patient has an appointment.
Test results are usually available between 3-4 days while positive results are shared by phone and negative results are shared through email. During that time, it is essential that the sick person remains at home in isolation. They should arrange for others to provide groceries, medicines, etc. whenever possible to avoid exposing others. Even if the test is negative, the sick person should remain at home until any fever has resolved and any other symptoms are significantly improved. For more information and great resources, please visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov.
Stay safe at home!
