Due to a surge in COVID-19 cases locally and across the state, the City of Long Beach announced operational changes and “potential impacts” to City services on Wednesday.
According to the City, 1,700 cases were reported in a single day, making this peak 1.6 times higher than the 2020-2021 winter surge peak, which at its highest reported 1,052 cases on a single day.
Hospitalizations have also increased, the City said, however, those remain below the hospitalization rates experienced during the height of the 2020-2021 winter surge. Of those hospitalized, 72% are unvaccinated.
Because of the increase in demand for COVID-19 testing, the Health Department will shift its operational focus this week and next to prioritize testing availability.
According to the City, testing at clinics has seen a steep increase over the last several weeks, with 347 people tested on Dec. 14 compared to 6,965 on Jan. 4
To meet demand, the following temporary changes to testing and vaccine clinic operations will remain in effect until testing demand stabilizes and vaccine demand increases:
- Expanded testing operations at Long Beach City College, Pacific Coast Campus (PCC) to accommodate testing more people during operating hours.
- Additional Health Department staff to support rapid testing operations at all City-run testing clinics.
- Prioritizing people with appointments. (People without a testing appointment must arrive at least one hour prior to the closing of each shift at all City testing sites in order to be tested.)
- Actively exploring options to implement additional testing location(s) to help meet testing demand.
In order to accommodate additional testing, City-run testing and vaccine clinics will temporarily adhere to the following schedule starting Monday, Jan. 10:
- Testing Schedule
- Long Beach City College, Veterans Stadium: Mondays – Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 – 5 p.m.
- Doris Topsy-Elvord Community Center at Houghton Park: Mondays – Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2:30-5:00 p.m. and Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Long Beach City College, Pacific Coast Campus: Mondays – Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Cabrillo High School: Saturdays and Sundays, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2:30 – 5 p.m. CSULB (Long Beach State): Mondays, 1/24 and 1/31 and Wednesdays, 1/19 and 1/26 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Rapid tests not available)
- Vaccine Schedule
- Long Beach City College, PCC: Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Long Beach City College, Liberal Arts Campus (Parking Lot 1, corner of Clark Avenue & Carson Street): Thursdays, 10 a.m. – noon
- Cabrillo High School (2001 Santa Fe Ave.), Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Doris Topsy-Elvord Community Center at Houghton Park: Mondays – Wednesdays, 1 – 5 p.m. and Thursdays – Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- CSULB: 6049 E. 7th St., Mondays, Jan. 24 and Jan. 31 and Wednesdays, Jan. 19 and Jan. 26, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- El Dorado Park West: Wednesdays, 2 – 6 p.m. (boosters only; begins Jan. 5)
Testing appointments can be made at longbeach.gov/covid19testing or by calling (562) 570-4636. People also may contact their healthcare provider or area pharmacies to get tested, subject to availability. For other sites across Los Angeles County, people can visit https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/.