LA becomes first major US city to provide free coronavirus testing for all

All Los Angeles County residents will now have access to free coronavirus testing regardless of whether they have symptoms, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday, noting that Los Angeles is the first major city in the United States to roll out such an effort.

Previously, testing in Los Angeles was limited to individuals showing symptoms, front-line workers and those who lived or were employed at institutional facilities such as nursing homes. By opening testing centers to the broader population, Garcetti said officials hope to stem the spread of the potentially deadly infection by identifying asymptomatic carriers while also gaining a better understanding of the virus’s impacts on the community.