JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Long lines and little to no appointments available for Covid-19 testing in Northeast Florida.
While the virus has surged, access to testing has not.
This week more than 8 thousand people in Duval County testing positive for Covid-19.
That’s according to the latest Florida Department of Health numbers released Friday.
Last week, the same, with 8,308 new cases.
And while the virus continues to spread in our community, the need for more testing remains.
“Testing is a huge problem right now in the city of Jacksonville,” explains Dr. Jennifer Cowart.
Cowart says people are coming to her everyday asking where they can go to get a COvid-19 test.
“With insurance or without insurance it’s hard for people to find testing without significant delays.”
Rolline Sullivan waited in line for an hour and 45 minutes to get tested at the Central Health Plaza on 6th Street.
She advises anyone to bring an umbrella and a chair if they plan on getting tested there.
Avecina Medical telling Action News Jax they’re testing about 700 people each day and still booking out three to four days in advance.
We even tried to book any testing appointment at Walgreens stories in our area Friday – with no luck.
“The capacity is just not there right now.”
Next week city council will vote on a proposal to add three testing sites by using $5 million in emergency funding.
“Any proposal that increases this testing capacity right now while we are in crisis and people need to know whether they’re positive, I think that’s a really positive thing.”
If city council passes that proposal, there will be new testing sites at the Shoppes at Sherwood, the Lane Wiley Senior Center and the College Park Center in Arlington.
This website provides a list of the all the places currently offering covid-19 testing in Duval County:
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