What You Need to Know About COVID-19

You should get tested if:

• You have COVID-19 symptoms:Talk to a doctor and get tested - even if you are fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19 in the past.  Your health care provider can talk with you about your concerns.  If you do not have a doctor, call 211 or visit the 211LA to get a referral.
• You have been a “close contact” to someone with COVID-19 within the last 14 days*: Get tested 5-7 days after your exposure—even if you are fully vaccinated.   If you are not fully vaccinated and this test collected on or after Day 5 is negative, you can end quarantine after Day 7. School children who are under a modified quarantine must get tested twice—once as soon as possible after the exposure and the second at least 3 days later.  To learn more, visit Quarantine and Other Instructions for Close Contacts: lacounty.gov/covidquarantine
• You are part of an outbreak investigation
  If you live or work in a place where other people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you may need to be tested, even if you are fully vaccinated or had COVID-19 in the past.

The above are reasons for diagnostic testing. For more information, visit the COVID-19 Testing page on the LA County Department of Public Health website.

* If you have had a positive viral test for COVID-19 in the last 90 days, testing again is not recommended as long as you do not have symptoms of COVID-19.

If you are not experiencing symptoms nor have been exposed to a COVID-19, there may be times when you need to “screen” for COVID-19.

There may be times when you want to confirm that you are not infected to prevent the spread of COVID-19 because it is highly contagious AND you can carry the virus without experiencing symptoms. This is called “screening testing”.

‘Screening testing’ is NOT recommended for fully vaccinated unless they fall into one of the categories listed above.

Screening testing is required if:

• It is required by your workplace.
• You visit places – including mega-events indoors at skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and juvenile detention facilities, and indoors and outdoors at adult correctional and detention centers. Screening testing may also be required by certain businesses and venues
• You are not fully vaccinated, and
  • You work in a place where COVID-19 vaccination is required.
  • You are going to visit certain places, including mega-events, indoors at skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and juvenile detention facilities, and indoors and outdoors at adult correctional and detention centers. Screening testing may also be required by certain businesses and venues.
  • You are a staff member or athlete in moderate- or high-risk organized youth sports, including school sports teams. (Note: children under 12 years of age playing outdoor moderate- and high-risk sports are not required to test). See COVID-19 Prevention at Youth Sports for more details.
• You are traveling by plane into the United States from another country (even if you are fully vaccinated). See Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States. Testing is also required before entering some other countries, check the rules before you plan your travel.

Note: There may be other settings that have their own screening testing requirements.

Screening testing is currently recommended if:

• You are NOT FULLY VACCINATED and
  • You participate in organized youth sports, including school sports teams. See Protocol for Organized Youth Sports for more details.
  • You are traveling outside of California (within the United States). Testing is recommended 1-3 days before and 3-5 days after travel. See Travel Advisory.
  • You are going to be attending an outdoor mega-event. (Testing will be required effective October 7, 2021)
• You After returning from international travel, even if you are fully vaccinated
• For teachers and students in schools
  • It is recommended that students get regular screening testing if not fully vaccinated. (Unvaccinated teachers are required to get in regular screening testing).
  • If community transmission rates are high, fully vaccinated students and teachers may be asked to get tested as part of school surveillance testing

For more information about COVID 19 diagnostic and screening tests http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/covidtests/

A “close contact” is anyone exposed to a person with or suspected to have COVID-19 while infectious*. Exposures include:

1. Being within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more within a 24-hour period.
2. Having unprotected contact with an infected person’s body fluids and/or secretions. For example, being coughed or sneezed on, sharing utensils or saliva, or providing care without wearing appropriate protective equipment.

*When you are infectious, you can spread COVID-19 to others because it is highly contagious. Someone with COVID-19 is infectious from 2 days before their symptoms first appear until they are no longer required to be isolated (as described in Home Isolation Instructions for People with COVID-19). A person with no symptoms and a positive COVID-19 test is infectious from 2 days before their test was taken until 10 days after their test.

No. Even if you have a negative result, you should practice physical distancing, wear a face covering, and wash your hands frequently. A negative COVID-19 test does not guarantee that you do not have the virus. With widespread community transmission, there is a daily risk of being infected with COVID-19.

The best protection available currently is to get vaccinated.  Click here for more information about vaccinations.

Enter your location on COVID-19 Testing website and find a convenient testing location.  You can search by walk-up or drive-up, by sites that offer tests for minors (17 and under) and by those that offer same-day or no appointment walk-in appointments.  Some testing sites are mobile, so they may pop-up as needed or requested by the community.  The website site shows available appointments up to 3-4 days out.

If no appointments are available at your preferred site, please check back or select a different location. Appointments are added to the website daily.

The testing sites available on the COVID-19 Testing website offer testing at no-cost to you. Participating community clinics, providers, and other agencies may ask for your insurance information or ask you to enroll in a government program so that they can get reimbursed for the cost of the test. If you are unable or unwilling to provide this information, some sites may charge a sliding scale fee. The County does not endorse or regulate all COVID-19 testing sites. Please make sure to read and ask about any costs for a COVID-19 test.

Residents of LA County without internet access can call 211 to speak with an operator who will help you make an appointment.  Some testing sites also take same day walk-ins.  Please search the map for same day walk-ins.

The Federal Government has approved funding to reimburse health care providers and facilities for COVID-19 testing and treatment of the uninsured. We are required to ask for your insurance information to receive reimbursement. However, you do not need to provide a driver’s license or social security number to get a test. If you do not have a driver’s license, please bring a form of personal identification to your test. COVID-19 testing is available, regardless of immigration status. Health care providers are not required to confirm immigration status prior to submitting claims for reimbursement.

Please do not smoke, vape, eat or drink anything 1 hour before your test. Bring some form of identification and your appointment confirmation (if you made an appointment) to match the registration information.  Your identity and your test results are protected by federal law and will not be shared with any other agencies for purposes of law enforcement or immigration. Please also wear your face-covering when you arrive at the testing site.

County-operated testing sites use a PCR test that is authorized by the FDA. The sample is collected using a nasal swab.

We use a PCR test to detect the virus that causes COVID-19.  There are many ways to get a sample for the test. You will receive information about the collection method for the site you select in the registration process. We are currently taking samples from the nose, mouth and throat:

Nose – It is very common to get a sample from the nose. There are two ways that samples from the nose are being collected. The most common way is for the sample to be taken from the front of the nose. This is a “self-administered” test, meaning the person taking the test collects this sample on their own. It is much more comfortable than the sample taken from the back of the nose. Most county operated sites are using this collection method. Here is a short video to help you prepare for how to collect the sample: (English) and (Español)

At some testing sites, the samples are collected from the back of the nose by a trained healthcare professional.  This helps to make sure the sample is high quality. There is nothing additional you need to do to prepare.

Mouth (or Oral) Sample – Most City operated sites are taking samples from the mouth. It is very important that you follow the instructions carefully for the mouth swab. The quality of the test will depend on how closely you follow the instructions. Here is a short video to help you prepare for how to collect the sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LikLtN8wuXI&feature=youtu.be

Throat – Some sites are getting samples from the throat. In most cases, a healthcare professional gets this sample. This helps to make sure that the sample is high quality.In all cases, staff are trained on the collection method used at their site and will help guide you on the process. The testing process takes between 5 to 10 minutes.

Yes, but please do not expose others if you suspect you have COVID-19. Only those with confirmed appointments will be tested. All individuals in the car should be wearing appropriate face coverings.

No, tests at drive-up sites will be performed while you remain in your vehicle.

If you do not have a car, you may make an appointment or visit any of the walk-up testing sites in LA County. To find the nearest walk-up testing location near you, use the map here.

Testing is available for children, and testing sites that test minors will be shown on the testing map on the covid19.lacounty.gov/testing website. A parent or guardian will need to help with the test. If your child has new or worsening symptoms such as trouble breathing, pain or pressure in chest, feeling confused or having difficulty waking up, or blue-colored lips or face, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Minors are not required to show identification.

Everyone 18 years of age and over should bring some type of personal identification to your test. This helps ensure that your test results are matched to the right person. Your identity and test results are protected by federal law and will not be shared with any other agencies for purposes of law enforcement or immigration.

It typically takes between 24 to 48 hours to receive your test results. You will be notified by email, text, by phone call, and in some cases by mail, depending on the site. It is very important that you provide accurate and complete information when registering. We use this information to contact you with your results.

While waiting for results, it is essential that you wear a mask and maintain social distance. If you are sick, stay home and self-isolate until the test results are back. You should arrange for others to provide groceries, medicines, etc. whenever possible to avoid exposing others. If you do not have someone to help you, you can arrange for food and other necessities to be left at your door. If you need help finding food or other necessities, call 211, visit 211la.org, 1degree.org or the LA County Department of Public Health resource webpage.

Even if the test is negative and you are experiencing symptoms, you should remain at home until any fever has resolved and any other symptoms have significantly improved.  If you are not improving, or feeling worse, contact your doctor or seek medical care. For more information and resources, please visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/.

If you have not received the results of your COVID-19 test taken at one of the community testing sites in LA County, call 211 or visit Healthvana.com.

The County-supported testing sites will provide testing for priority populations [link], as defined by the Department of Public Health (DPH).

The County is not offering testing for employers seeking to test all employees, or for employers who wish to implement testing for employees coming back to work after a period of absence. Employers who are interested in implementing this practice should work directly with a lab offering these services. The California Testing Task Force is maintaining a list of laboratories that can collect and/or receive samples for RT-PCR COVID testing. Click here to view this list on the State of California Testing Task Force website.

Yes, employers can offer and pay for COVID-19 testing as an occupational health and safety measure. If an employer requires routine or repeated testing, your employer should provide that test. These employees should not seek a test at the City/County/State-operated testing sites, which should be reserved for those who do not have access to testing through their regular provider or health plan.

There are over 200,000 testing appointments available each week across LA County – this doesn’t include testing capacity from independent testing partners throughout LA County. The number of testing appointments vary by site depending on size and personnel available, between 50 to over 1,000 appointments per day.

We work in partnership with the State, local jurisdictions, community partners, and the existing health system to establish a broad network of testing sites that offer free testing to all Los Angeles County residents who either cannot access testing with their healthcare provider or does not have a provider.

The County looks at the COVID-19 mortality rates, positivity rates and testing rates in communities across the County to identify highest-need areas in order to expand testing or open new testing sites.