Earlier in January, California Gov. Gavin Newsom had deployed more than 200 members of the National Guard to help ramp up the state's effort in COVID-19 testing amid the spread of the Omicron variant.

A free COVID-19 testing pop-up site can now be visited by Los Angeles residents for walk-ins until 4 p.m. in Highland Park, opening from 10 a.m., according to an NBC Los Angeles News report.

Councilman Gil Cedillo's office announced the pop-up site's schedule. Its location is at a parking lot at 124 N. Ave. 59.

Cedillo's office is hosting the pop-up with the disaster relief organization Community Organized Relief Effort.

The Black Infants and Families LA also announced in the last week of January that there will be a free COVID-19 testing and vaccinations available at the Los Angeles Sentinel, which is available from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Cedillo also announced the availability of the Graff Lab site to those who want to get tested. He added that there is no appointment necessary.

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The councilman said that vulnerable residents continue to need help due to the ongoing pandemic, adding that the Omicron variant surge is going down. However, there are still cases among the unvaccinated and breakthrough cases.

Cedillo urged the public to wear upgraded masks such as N95, KN95, or KF94, while practicing social distancing, getting tested, and vaccinated.

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COVID-19 Testing Kits in Los Angeles

Los Angeles County has expanded its pick-up free COVID-19 test kits to more libraries across the area, according to a KTLA 5 News report.

Fourteen new county libraries will get additional 7,000 free COVID-19 testing kits available to the public every day.

Residents can pick up PRC test kits without appointments, allowing them to do the tests at home or in their cars.

They can return their samples to the same site for processing. However, it needs to be returned within three to five days of receiving the test kits.

Sameday Health offers its Topanga location for COVID-19 testing, as they announced on their Twitter account.

 The kits being provided by the county are not rapid antigen tests, with results usually coming out within 24-48 hours. Anyone can get the tests regardless of their health insurance status.

The kits can be procured on a first-come, first-served basis. There is also a limit of one kit per person or two kits for a family.

L.A. County Home Test Collection program also sends at-home nasal swab test kits by mail to county residents that cannot pick up the kits themselves.

More information about the program can be found here.

COVID-19 Pandemic in Los Angeles

L.A. officials noted that COVID has been the leading cause of death in L.A. County around the past two years, according to data from March 2020 to December 2021.

Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer noted that the data stated around 24,497 lives were lost to COVID. The second leading cause of death in the area is coronary heart disease, responsible for 21,513 deaths, according to a Deadline report.

Before January ended, COVID has taken its youngest victim with the 15-month-old child being among the 91 reported deaths in the county.

However, details about the child's death were not made available to the public, according to another NBC Los Angeles news report.

Actor Eddie Alfano commented on the ongoing pandemic affecting the area.

There are 2.68 million total cases of COVID in Los Angeles County, with the death toll reaching 29,099.

READ MORE: More Than 5,000 Students in a Single Florida School District Quarantined or Isolated Due to COVID

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: LA County Launches COVID Test Kit Pick-Up At 13 Testing Sites - from CBS Los Angeles