Janelle Irwin Taylor
Hillsborough County is opening three more COVID-19 testing sites to expand testing in the county, which has so far tested just 1% of its residents.
The additional testing locations are:
— Lee Davis Community Resource Center, 3402 N. 22nd St., Tampa
— Plant City Community Resource Center, 307 N. Michigan Ave., Plant City
— SouthShore Community Resource Center, 201 14th Ave. SE, Ruskin
Pre-screening and registration are required and testing remains only available to those showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus. For those who think they qualify, appointments can be made by calling 813-272-5900 weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Raymond James Stadium will remain open for testing. The three new sites will also offer drive-thru testing, but walk-ups will also be permitted with a scheduled appointment. That provision alleviates previous concerns about access to testing for individuals who don’t own cars.
There is no charge for testing at the four locations and residents are not required to have health insurance. If an appointment is granted, individuals will be informed with the time, date and testing location during their call.
If given an appointment, individuals should arrive in a vehicle with a maximum height of 8-feet and should only have those receiving testing in the car. Individuals should also bring a photo ID with name and date of birth for all people receiving a test.
People should also ensure they have the correct confirmation code provided by the call center, which can be accomplished by printing the confirmation email or a screenshot.
Those being tested will be asked to provide their full name, date of birth and a phone number to receive test results.
A health care worker wearing protective gear will give instructions at the site and administer a minimally invasive test that typically involves a nasal swab described as uncomfortable, but brief and not painful.
Individuals should not eat for at least two hours prior to their appointment.
Test results can be expected within 10 days.
The new testing sites are a collaboration between Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, the University of South Florida, and four major medical groups in the region – BayCare, Tampa General Hospital, AdventHealth, and HCA Healthcare – West Florida Division.
