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Coronavirus Update: Issues Reported At Hard Rock Stadium Testing Site

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - More than 400 people were tested for coronavirus Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. But for some of those people, this is not their first time being tested. The wrong kind of test kits were used on some people in the first two days of testing.

"There were some tests that were done in specimen collection kits that were not viral, they were bacterial. You can't test for a virus in a bacterial culture," Mike Jachles said.

Jachles is the chair of the Florida Association of Public Information Officers.

In a statement to CBS 4 News, the Joint Information Center of Florida for COVID-19 said in part: "Among the initial round of collection kits that the state received, there were some that were not compatible with current testing procedures. Some of these kits were used during the first two days of operation at the testing site in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium."

CBS 4 News asked for the number of people who needed retesting but those numbers were not immediately available.

The testing lab called people who needed new tests and scheduled appointments. Some showed up Friday and others arrived Saturday.

This testing site has tested more than 4,000 people since it opened nearly a week ago.

Florida Governor Rom DeSantis was here to kick things off.

"If one worker gets exposed, then that person may have to self isolate and they may have had contact with other workers. So, then you have all these people in the hospital who will self isolate," the Governor said Sunday.

Medical workers and first responders were able to come the first day. They can still show up. After the first day, people 65 and older with symptoms were able to be tested.

On day one, more than 700 people were tested.

"If you get a call to be retested -- if there's somebody else in the car, only the person who got the call will be retested," Jachles said.

The site is only for first responders and seniors with symptoms. You have to make an appointment to test. Hundreds of cars have been turned away because of no appointment. If you are tested, you'll get a call whether it's positive or negative.

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