Demand For Testing Explodes As Long Lines Continue At COVID Testing Sites Throughout South Florida
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The lines are long at COVID testing sites across South Florida for yet another day.
There is no shortage of people wanting to get a test at Markham Park in Sunrise.
The western end of Broward County, the second major expansion by the Florida Department of Health.
How long can you wait? Maybe an hour.
With COVID cases skyrocketing, because of the Delta variant spreading rapidly in South Florida, the demand for testing has exploded.
The lines were equally as long at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek in North Broward.
"It took some of the burden away from Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale when we had over a thousand people testing Monday," said public information officer Mike Jachles.
"We see an uptick in the testing and people are concerned, but people really need to be vaccinated."
Statewide, for people 12 and up, the vaccination rate is 61 percent, Broward 70 percent, and Miami-Dade 78 percent.
Back in Sunrise, in the testing line, lots of worry about Florida's COVID surge.
"We got vaccinated. It's the only way to get this under control."
If you're looking for instant results, rapid testing is harder to find. And while some pharmacies offer rapid testing, often you need to make an appointment and you won't always be able to make an appointment on the same day.
There are pop-up testing sites in South Florida you can find online.
CBS4 checked out "Fast Test," a private company where you pay $99 out of pocket for a rapid test.
It involves a nasal swab and you can get results quickly.
William and Angela Michel went there Wednesday because they needed a negative COVID test result to return home to Canada.
"I am fully Vaccinated and do what I can to protect myself. But at the end of the day, there are others not doing the same and yet I have to follow the rules," William said.
There are also many over the counter varieties of rapid tests that you can find at your local pharmacies, which have come on the market in the last year.
They also involve a nasal swab and performing a test on a strip to determine positivity.
Experts say they are not as accurate as the PCR test.
While they can tell you quickly if you are positive for the virus, there are false negatives.
Click here to find a testing location near you.
Click here to find a vaccination location near you.
