Free COVID-19 Testing Site Changes Location in South Bay

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA – COVID-19 drive-thru testing continues in the South Bay with the Los Angeles County COVID-19 Test Site now set up on the campus of the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) at 514 North Prospect Ave., Redondo Beach. The site was previously at the South Bay Galleria in RB, where it offered coronavirus testing from April 3 through June 5. More than 17,000 L.A. County residents were tested at the Galleria location, according to BCHD.

To qualify for priority for the free testing, individuals need to meet the following criteria:

• Symptomatic persons with the following symptoms: Fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell
or

• Persons over age 65
• Those with a chronic medical condition
• Essential workers in these groups: janitorial, security, airport, government, health care, food and grocery, and more. A complete list of the essential workers group is online.

Symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in congregate institutional settings also qualify for free testing. Individuals who have a primacy care physician or health care center are encouraged to check to see if they can be tested for COVID-19 at their doctor or health center's location.

“From the outset of this pandemic, one of our primary goals has been to ensure that COVID-19 testing was easily accessible to Beach Cities residents, and we thank LA County, the City of Redondo Beach and Providence Little Company of Mary for being great partners in achieving this goal,” said BCHD CEO Tom Bakaly. “We recognize the importance of COVID-19 tests during these unprecedented times and apologize for any inconvenience. With stage two of the governor’s recovery plan allowing retail businesses like the Galleria to reopen, we have moved to our BCHD Campus to maintain a testing presence for Beach Cities residents and others from around the county.” An end date for the BCHD testing site has not been announced.

LA County residents can schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 test by visiting the County website. Appointments have been filling up quickly. Residents are encouraged to continue to check the site for availability at the Redondo Beach location or make an appointment at another LA County site.

CVS locations in Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach offer drive-thru testing at 155 Pacific Coast Hwy., HB, and 316 South PCH, RB. You must register in advance. A walk-up coronavirus testing site is at the Hawthorne Memorial Center - Betty Ainsworth Sports Center, 3851 W. El Segundo Blvd., Hawthorne. Go online for details.

All Exer Urgent Care locations (there is one in MB at 3215 N. Sepulveda Boulevard; 424-295-0540). Other nearby locations are in RB, Culver City and Rolling Hills Estates. Their website provides more details on cost as well as policies and procedures. They offer a virtual screening process for people unable to go to their locations.

RELATED: Exer Urgent Care Offering Coronavirus Testing In Manhattan Beach

BCHD is among the leading preventive health agencies in the nation and has served the communities of Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach since 1955. As a
public agency, it offers an extensive range of dynamic health and wellness programs, with innovative services and facilities to promote health and prevent diseases in every lifespan. BCHD also operates AdventurePlex, a health and fitness facility in MB where kids play their way to good health, and the Center for Health & Fitness, a comprehensive fitness center on its campus in RB that is the only Medical Fitness Association-certified facility in California. Call (310) 374-3426 for more information.