Over 1,700 COVID-19 tests administered in Florida damaged in transit, state says
A microscopic image of an isolate from the first U.S. case of COVID-19 is shown this file photo taken in March of 2020. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Division of Emergency Management says among the more than 90,000 COVID-19 tests administered at drive-thru and walk-up test sites so far in May, 1,702 were damaged in transit.
Any person whose sample was damaged will be contacted as soon as possible. The state is urging these individuals to be retested and will be prioritized for retesting at the site where they were originally tested.
This month, the state has increased testing at drive-thru and walk-up sites across the state. Since May 1, state drive-thru sites have opened in Sarasota, Lee, Miami-Dade, Escambia, Broward, Brevard and Volusia counties, as well as walk-up sites in Opa Locka, Daytona Beach, North Lauderdale, Miramar and Sarasota. In total, these sites have allowed the state to perform more than 5,000 additional tests per day.
The Division will continue to provide this testing across the state as we work to respond to COVID-19.