MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Thursday morning marked another start to the day with long lines outside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens as scores of people hoped to get tested for COVID-19.
The testing site there closed before noon Wednesday after reaching capacity.
People showed up as early as 5 a.m. Thursday to make the cut as the recent large spike in positive cases has many rushing to find out if they've been infected.
“I just want to do a check out, that’s all ... Make sure I don’t have the virus,” one man said.
Mike Jachles, a test site spokesman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said between 350 and 400 people were inside the gates to be tested when they opened at 9 a.m.
He said the antibody testing capacity, which is currently 250 people a day, was immediately reached.
Hard Rock Stadium is currently operating four swab stations and three antibody/swab stations.
According to Jachles, antibody test results are given to patients within 20 minutes after they leave via a phone call by on-site staff members.
He said COVID-10 test results take longer, but people are encouraged to use the lab portal to get their results within 36 to 48 hours.
People who visit the testing site must stay in their vehicles to be tested.
More than 40,000 swab tests have been done at the site since it opened this spring.
On Wednesday, 856 COVID-19 tests and 195 antibody tests were administered.
The surge in testing comes as Florida’s positive numbers continue to climb.
“I’m worried about it,” one person in line Thursday said.
The recent re-opening of restaurants and businesses could be contributing to more people coming down with the virus, according to experts.
Although we have seen large crowds gathering for protests in South Florida, there has been no direct link to be considered a cluster.