Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia announced Wednesday that anyone who wants a test for COVID-19—regardless of whether they have symptoms—will be able to schedule one starting this weekend.

The testing site at Cabrillo High School, which is run by the city, is the only site that will be open to anyone initially. The other 5 sites in the city will still be reserved for essential workers or those with symptoms.

“We hope to expand this to other locations as capacity allows,” Garcia said.

Long Beach and its partners have conducted about 31,000 tests since the pandemic began in early March, Kelly Colopy, director of the Long Beach Health Department, said Wednesday. The city is able to perform about 1,000 tests per day.

Until now, the city hadn’t opened up testing to everyone in order to prevent a backlog of results, the mayor said.

Frontline essential workers, including first responders and essential businesses, can make an appointment to test at one of the following locations:

  • Jordan Plus High School (walk-up testing), 171 W. Bort St.
  • Long Beach City College Pacific Coast Campus (drive-up testing), 1305 E. Pacific Coast Highway
  • St. Mary Medical Center (drive-up testing), 1050 Linden Ave.

Testing availability also continues for anyone exhibiting symptoms, whether they are an essential worker or not, at any of the following locations:

  • Jordan High School, 6500 Atlantic Ave.
  • Cabrillo High School, 2001 Santa Fe Ave.
  • St. Mary Medical Center, 1050 Linden Ave.
  • Long Beach City College Pacific Coast Campus, 1305 E. Pacific Coast Highway
  • Long Beach City College, Veterans Memorial Stadium, 5000 E. Lew Davis St.
  • Jordan Plus High School, 171 W. Bort St.

For information or to schedule an appointment, visit the testing page on the City’s COVID-19 website or call 562-570-4636.

Melissa Evans is the Chief Executive Officer of the Long Beach Post and Long Beach Business Journal. Reach her at [email protected], @melissaevansLBP or 562-512-6354.