Coronavirus Update: At-Home Testing Starts Tuesday In Miami-Dade, Hard Rock Stadium Expands Testing Criteria
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – There are changes coming next week for people who want to get tested for the coronavirus in South Florida including at-home testing for some people in Miami-Dade.
Starting Monday, the drive through testing site at Hard Rock Stadium will allow anyone with regardless of age, occupation or symptoms can get tested. No appointment will be needed.
"Starting this Monday, at the site here in Jacksonville, the Orange County Convention Center and at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Dade, anybody that has coronavirus symptoms, regardless of age can come and get tested. All first responders and healthcare workers can get tested and then anybody who has had close sustained contact with an individual that has recently tested positive for COVID-19 may get tested even if you personally haven't developed symptoms," said Gov. DeSantis at a Friday afternoon news conference in Jacksonville.
Prior to the change, only people 65 and older, first responders and health care workers could get tested at this site and others in Jacksonville and Orlando.
The Hard Rock Stadium site was a partnership between the Feds and the state but DeSantis says the state is going to take over and relax the restrictions.
Statewide, the Governor says at the end of next week, they're on track to see one out of every 100 Floridians tested for coronavirus.
So far, South Florida leads the state in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez says seniors and adults with disabilities who have symptoms countywide, except the City of Miami, will be able to request at home testing starting Tuesday.
This is designed for people who are home bound.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel will be visiting homes of those who have appointments for home testing," said Giménez
Appointments can be made starting Monday through the current hotline number at 305-499-8767.
The City of Miami already has its own program in place.
The Governor says hospitals are getting rapid tests, that can deliver results in minutes.
The Florida National Guard has been doing spot testing at nursing homes.
Because there may be many people who've had coronavirus before testing starting, the Florida Department of Health has ordered serology tests for doctors to try and find antibodies.
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"There may be people who had an illness in February or March. They didn't go to the doctor for it and they think, 'Hey maybe I had it.' You can also spot check and see a representative sample how many in our society have the antibodies," said Gov. DeSantis.
The Hard Rock Stadium is not the only testing site in South Florida.
Click here to see a list of other locations or click here for locations in Miami-Dade and locations in Broward.
