Dodger Stadium on Tuesday became the largest coronavirus testing site in California, with the capacity to test up to 6,000 people a day.
L.A. Mayor Garcetti said the new drive-through site might even be the largest in the nation.
Since opening the first testing site in the city near the stadium in March, the mayor expanded testing for any resident regardless of whether they have coronavirus symptoms. Los Angeles now has the capacity to test tens of thousands of people each day, Garcetti said.
“We want testing to be easy, accessible and free for everybody here in Los Angeles,” the mayor said during a speech at the stadium.
“I know we’d rather be here in a different context. We’d rather be here rooting on the boys in blue, seeing the heroes on the field capture and come from behind and have an incredible victory in the ninth inning, looking out at the most beautiful view of any stadium in the world … We’ll get back to that soon enough, I truly believe that.”
The city partnered up with the Los Angeles Fire Department and relief group CORE, co-founded by actor Sean Penn.
The new site joins 10 in the city and 36 in the county. Garcetti said Los Angeles has the capacity to test 20,000 people a day and so far, about 450,000 Angelenos have gotten tested.
Appointments are available at coronavirus.lacity.org/testing or by calling 213-978-1028.
Eligibility requirements vary at county sites and to make an appointment visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/.
L.A. County, however, continues to be the epicenter of the coronavirus in California, accounting for roughly half of all coronavirus cases and deaths statewide.
As of Monday, the county had 46,018 coronavirus cases and 2,116 deaths, according to the public health department.