ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — As another new COVID testing site has opened to meet growing demands, Orange County officials are expected to examine their coronavirus response Tuesday.
What You Need To Know
- Officials expected to talk about COVID-19 response in board meeting
- The board meeting is scheduled to start at 9 a.m.
- RELATED: New Orlando COVID-19 testing site sees thousands on first day – Other sites still slammed
Orange County officials are expected to discuss the county’s COVID-19 response, including testing, later on Tuesday at an Orange County Board of County Commissioners meeting, according to the meeting agenda. The board meeting is scheduled to start at 9 a.m.
So far, the new year is bringing more of the same long lines across many Central Florida COVID-19 testing sites.
Local leaders have been working to expand testing options to speed up those lines, but so far, those new sites have been met by more intense demand for testing.
The sites at the Econ Soccer Complex and Barnett Park in Orange County both hit their capacity for testing before 4 p.m on Monday, with long lines of cars continually stretched out through the Barnett Park entrance and onto Colonial Drive. Those in line are spending around three and a half hours waiting from start to finish.
The city of Orlando opened up Camping World Stadium Monday for PCR and rapid tests in an effort to alleviate the congestion at other testing sites. By 4 p.m, a spokesperson for the city of Orlando said more than 3,100 tests had been administered.
Jaydyn Bowden got out in the line early Monday with her kids, hoping her long wait in the car would help her get a quick answer from the test.
“Literally, everywhere that I’ve tried for like a week straight, it’s no appointments available, they’re booked up," she said. "So I was online this morning and I was like, ‘Oh they just opened, let me pack the kids up and go and get tested.’ So we’re all here today.
"It seems like it’s moving though, it definitely doesn’t seem that bad. It’s moving pretty smooth so I’m excited, I’m ready to just get it out of the way and everything."
According to the Florida Department of Health, Florida's positivity rate is 31%, meaning nearly one in every three tests is positive for COVID-19.
If you need to get a COVID-19 test, there are four free public sites in Orlando you can visit.
Camping World Stadium, which is run by the city of Orlando, as well as the county-run sites at Econ Soccer Complex, Barnett Park and the South Orange Youth Complex are open seven days a week starting at 9 a.m.
If you do plan to get a COVID-19 test, you are encouraged to get in line early to secure your spot and come prepared to wait.
You can save time at the testing site too by pre-registering at PatientPortalFL.com before you head out over.