The Memorial Hospital of Gardena released a statement at the end of last week to announce that a free day of COVID testing on Saturday, Jan. 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments are required, and can be obtained by calling 310)-512-6141. The hospital estimates that 150 tests will be given at the Multi-Specialty Clinic Building located at 1141 W. Redondo Beach Blvd., Suite 212. Parking is free in the garage behind the medical building, in the hospital’s parking lot and on surrounding streets The tests are intended for people showing symptoms of COVID-19, or who have been exposed to people with COVID- 19. Testees will receive hand sanitizer, an N95 mask and educational information. “During this most recent COVID surge, testing opportunities have been hard to come by,” said Anchal Ghai, M.D., an emergency department physician and vice chair of the medical staff at Memorial Hospital of Gardena. “We want to provide this special service of COVID testing at this difficult time in our community. Our excellent physicians, nurses and healthcare workers have been dedicated to caring for patients in Gardena and surrounding communities for decades, and this is one more way to provide service. ”The clinic will be using a nose swab PCR test. At the Gardena City Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 11, staff pointed out that the case count in Gardena is now 11,513, up 3,254 since the last meeting on Dec.14. The number of deaths due to COVID is now 229. It is reported that 21.9% of children aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated with at least one dose, as have 85.5% of people age 12+, 77.6% of youth age 12 to 17, and 94% of seniors age 65+. About 2044 people have been tested since the last meeting, and the city is averaging 33 residents tested every day. For more information, visit www.memorialhospitalgardena.com.
