Coronavirus testing center opens at Antelope Valley Mall in Palmdale [updated]

PALMDALE – A coronavirus drive-up testing station opened at the Antelope Valley Mall Friday in partnership between Los Angeles County and the City of Palmdale. The tented site is located in the AV Mall parking lot at 1233 Rancho Vista Boulevard; hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Testing is by appointment only. Walk-up appointments are not available.

COVID-19 testing is limited to the most vulnerable residents — those who are age 65 and older and/or have underlying health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, chronic lung disease, or moderate to severe asthma.

Testing is also limited to those who are immunocompromised, including as a result of cancer treatment, and/or have been subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period because they have been exposed to an individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19 and have more than seven days of the two-week quarantine period remaining.

Anyone interested in getting tested must first register on the screening website, https://corona-virus.la/.

This first step determines if people are eligible to be tested. At the website, individuals are asked to answer basic questions, including name, date of birth, address and whether they are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, coughing and difficulty breathing.

The website — in real time — determines and confirms an individual’s testing eligibility. Those who receive confirmation of testing eligibility will then be given a selection of testing sites, and available appointment times to complete the test registration process.

The registration number will be required at the testing site. The testing location is drive-up and clients stay in their vehicles for tests — though pedestrian clients with appointments can be tested, as well.

The test is a self-administered oral swab, 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, however waiting times may vary. More information and frequently asked questions are available at covid19.lacounty.gov/testing.

“The goal is to increase testing capacity as quickly as possible in Los Angeles County to meet the community’s needs, which are growing every day,” said Dr. Clayton Kazan, medical director of the L.A. County Fire Department, who is leading the countywide coordination of COVID-19 testing.

For more information and FAQs, go to covid19.lacounty.gov/testing. To register and see if you are eligible for a test, visit: https://corona-virus.la/.

Another Covid-19 testing station is located in Lancaster — in the parking lot at the Main Clinic for High Desert Medical Group at 43839 N. 15th Street West, about two blocks north of Avenue K.

UPDATE: A telephone number has now been set up for Antelope Valley residents to register for coronavirus testing in Lancaster and Palmdale. People who meet the criteria can call the Los Angeles County information number 211, and tell the community resource advisor they need to register for testing. County Public Health and Fire Department officials prefer that people register online; the telephone number is for people who don’t have access to the Internet.

Previous related story: Covid-19 testing station opens in Lancaster

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