Drive-thru testing outside Orange Convention Center will be open to more people

Drive-through COVID-19 testing will be available to more people beginning Wednesday, according to state Emergency Management officials who received federal approval to expand the test pool near the Orange County Convention Center.

Anyone with a pre-existing medical condition such as asthma, diabetes or cancer is now eligible to be tested.

Anyone who is symptomatic according to guidelines established by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also can be tested for coronavirus, which is blamed for more than 3,000 US deaths, including 77 in Florida.

Screeners won’t require proof of pre-existing medical conditions, said John Scott, a retired Jacksonville firefighter and commander of the state-run testing station in the north parking lot of the idle Convention Center.

For the past six days, the site tested only first-responders, healthcare workers or persons age 65 or older with a fever or other symptoms outlined by the CDC. The restrictions were imposed because of limited numbers of kits to collect and test saliva samples.

“We’re on the honor system," he said. “If you come out and tell us you have pre-existing medical conditions, we’re not at this point asking for any proof of that." People seeking to be tested must bring ID and medical insurance card.

Scott advised people wanting to be tested to line up early because the site is limited to 250 tests per day.

The site opens at 9 a.m. daily and closes at 5 p.m. or whenever the daily supply of test kits is spent.

State officials initially said they had 2,400 tests at the site but Scott said their supllies have been replenished.

He was uncertain exactly how long testing would continue at the site but expected at least into next week.

Every day, testing staff have arrived to find people waiting in the auto line to be screened.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.

To contact Stephen Hudak, call 407-650-6361 or email [email protected]

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