Massive protests across the nation have sparked fears of a second wave of coronavirus cases as thousands of demonstrators gather close together, yelling and holding hands, all of which could amplify the transmission of the deadly virus.

But another problem has emerged in the past week that could also exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County: less testing.

Half of the approximately 40 government-run testing sites throughout the county have been shut down at some point since Saturday. On Wednesday, 15 were either still closed or operating with reduced hours due to remaining safety concerns or curfews, officials said.

It is unclear how much testing will drop due to the closures, but experts say that any reduction will hurt the region’s response to the virus. It will also heighten the dangers created by protesting as well as the reopenings of certain businesses that began last week, they said.

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