Bellflower Woman Unable To Get COVID-19 Testing Appointment Due To 'Increased Demand' In LA County
BELLFLOWER (CBSLA) -- After Kristina Campese started feeling cold symptoms over the weekend, she decided she'd try to get a coronavirus test.
The 40-year-old Bellflower resident said, since she's 7 1/2 months pregnant, her doctor recommended she do so just to be safe.
So, she checked the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's website to make an appointment at the Bellflower City Hall site, which is right near her home. She said there were none available for the next three days.
She decided to just head over and see if she could get a test. Campese says the workers told her she needed an appointment.
"We're constantly having this COVID stuff shoved in our face, but when we need to go get tested, we get the run-around," she said.
Campese recorded a video of the testing site, which appeared to be largely empty despite the lack of available appointments.
In an interview with CBSLA, Campese added: "There were more people standing around at this facility than there were people being COVID tested."
The L.A. County Department Public Health provided this statement to CBSLA: "Due to the increased demand for testing, all testing appointments at the Bellflower City Hall testing site are currently booked for today and tomorrow. All testing sites across the county are experiencing high demand due to the current surge in cases. We encourage residents to regularly check the County's COVID-19 testing website at covid19.lacounty.gov/testing for an up-to-date list of sites that have availability."
The department also said that they are offering an at-home test collection program where residents can sign up to have a COVID-19 test shipped to their home. They also said residents should ask their primary care provider or healthcare center about receiving a test at their facility.
Campese said she thinks the appointments are unnecessary.
