‘We can’t take any chances:’ Jacksonville COVID-19 testing sites busier Monday after holiday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This holiday season, many people have opted to ditch the virtual visits and visit family and friends in person.

And some of those same people are choosing to take a COVID-19 test, in an effort to do their best to protect those around them.

Action News Jax’s Courtney Cole visited the Emmett Reed Center and the Lane Wiley Senior Center, two of the COVID-19 testing sites that were open in Duval County on Monday. She didn’t see any long lines while she was there, but was told by those who got tested that any amount of time they had to wait was worth if, it meant protecting others around them.

“We can’t take any chances,” Nancy James said.

Nancy said she, along with her husband Walter James, made it a priority to come and get a COVID-19 test at the Emmett Reed Center.

“We had our grandsons and our great-grandsons with us for Christmas dinner and we’re gonna be kinda quiet New Year’s,” Nancy James told Cole.

“Very quiet,” Walter James added.

They were just two of the people who filled the parking lot to come and get a COVID-19 test.

James Johnston said his wife was his motivation.

“My wife pushing me for it. She said, because I was feeling a little bad in my chest. And then she said, ‘well you better go,’” Johnston said.

The people Cole spoke to on Monday told her wait times weren’t too bad.

“I bet it was an hour, probably an hour. It ain’t too bad,” Johnston said.

“When we first got here, we were about halfway to the sidewalk, so we went really fast. It’s very efficient in there,” Nancy James said.

Late Monday afternoon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance, loosening up on isolation instructions.

Now, the agency says if you are not vaccinated or don’t have your additional booster shot and you’re exposed to someone with COVID-19 you should:

• Quarantine for 5 days
• Follow that with five days of strict mask wearing
• The CDC said if you are vaccinated and boosted, you do not need to quarantine after exposure, but the agency said you should wear a mask for 10 days after exposure.

Ultimately, the CDC recommends everyone who is exposed to the virus should be tested 5 days after exposure.

“If they come up with another booster, call me first, I’ll be the first in line! Because I don’t want to get sick,” Nancy James said.

Action News Jax reached out to the Duval Department of Health to learn how many people were tested for COVID-19 at the five sites that were open Monday, but we’re still waiting to hear back.

See an up-to-date list of testing sites on the Florida Department of Health website.

Increased demand for at-home COVID-19 tests

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