MIAMI – As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact South Florida, there are two drive-through testing sites in Miami now accepting symptomatic residents who are younger than 65 years old.
The site in Miami’s Liberty City started to test residents age 45 and older on Tuesday. The site in Miami’s Little Havana will start accepting residents age 18 and older starting Wednesday.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said he was asymptomatic when he was diagnosed with COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. He said testing sites will eventually be able to test residents who are asymptomatic.
“We hope as more supplies become available to reduce that age even more and potentially loosen some of the protocol standards,” Suarez said.
Miami Fire Rescue Medical Director Dr. Paul Adams explained the city is preparing for an anticipated peak in local cases.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Americans need to be prepared for 100,000 people to die of COVID-19 in the United States.
Epidemiologists have said testing is critical to help isolate patients and reduce the spread of the potentially deadly disease.
Miami is also offering in-home testing for residents age 65 and older.
In Liberty City, the testing site is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Charles Hadley Park, 1300 NW 50th St.
In Little Havana, the testing site is open upon appointment only at Marlins Park, 501 Marlins Way. For an appointment, call 305-499-8767.
For more information about testing in Miami-Dade County, call 311.
