Orange County coronavirus testing site now offering 750 COVID-19 tests per day

Site previously conducted up to 400 tests per day

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The state-operated drive-up coronavirus testing site at the Orange County Convention Center is equipped as of Wednesday morning to administer 750 tests to Floridians each day.

“We’ve been given an increase by the governor so that’s where that direction comes from,” spokesperson for the FEMA testing site Lauren Luna said. “These are now state assets. Last week we transitioned from a state site to a federal site so that’s the biggest change.”

The community COVID-19 testing sites at the Hard Rock stadium in Miami Gardens and at the Jaguars stadium in Jacksonville will also increase testing numbers this week.

According to Luna, the testing site in Miami Gardens has seen the highest volume of individuals wishing to get tested, followed by the OCCC testing site.

The Orange County testing site has been open for 24 days as of Wednesday morning, and has grown exponentially since opening, only offering 250 tests on its first day of operation. The site then expanded to 350 tests per day, then to 400 before offering 750 tests each day.

“The (governor) has so many things to consider (when expanding testing sites). Do you have the PPE, do you have the test kits available to do this? So all of this goes into the decision making process," Luna said. “Then also the needs of the community. They see that we are closing down early so that goes into the decision making process.”

Luna said the number of Florida residents being turned away for testing each day has dramatically decreased.

“Right in the beginning when that criteria for testing was so narrow, we were turning away quite a number of people, a little over 100 a day," she said. "Now we are turning away between zero and three.”

To be tested at the OCCC site you must meet the following criteria:

  • First responders, showing symptoms or not
  • Anyone with a preexisting condition
  • Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19
  • Anyone who has come into contact with a confirmed coronavirus patient

Coronavirus tests are free and you do not need to show an insurance card. The site will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and it will close if the center hits the maximum amount of tests.

To find the coronavirus testing sirte nearest you, use the map below. News 6 is committed to updating the map below as new locations open.

To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6′s coronavirus newsletter or go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.


About the Author:

Erin began her career at News 6 as an assignment editor, then became a show producer. She is now a digital storyteller as part of the Click Orlando team.

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