DeSantis: 1 in 100 Floridians will be tested for COVID-19

By the end of the week, 1 in 100 Floridians will have been tested for COVID-19, Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Saturday.

The governor touted Florida’s testing progress during a briefing in which he also announced the drive-through test site at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando will stay operational -- and expand its services.

As of Saturday, more than 173,000 Floridians had received their test results, DeSantis said. He expects that number to grow to 215,000 later this week.

As federal funding of the convention-center site ends, the state will continue its operations. The federal government will still provide some assistance, DeSantis said.

The convention center, on International Drive, was one of three federally funded sites in Florida; the other two, in Jacksonville and Miami, also will remain open.

When the convention-center site first opened at the end of March, testing was restricted to healthcare workers, first responders and those 65 and older with COVID-19 symptoms. Since then, testing has been expanded to anyone with a pre-existing medical condition such as asthma, diabetes or cancer.

Now, anyone of any age who shows symptoms of coronavirus or has had close, sustained contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, is eligible for the free test, DeSantis said Saturday.

People seeking to be tested must bring ID and a medical insurance card; the card is for identification purposes as the test is free. Testing begins each day at 9 a.m. and continues until 5 p.m. or when supplies run out.

Florida’s testing rate has been bolstered by initiatives such as spot checks at nursing homes and screenings of travelers. The governor said 17,683 people arriving in Florida by air or car from high-risk areas had been screened.

The state still has a good number of hospital beds available, DeSantis said, with an overall rate of 43 percent availability.

“We just ask that people keep doing what they’re doing, and let’s beat this thing,” DeSantis said. “People have done their part, and it’s really making a difference.”

mpalm@orlandosentinel.com

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