Coronavirus Testing: Criteria Expanded At CB Smith Park, 18+ Showing Symptoms Will Now Be Tested
PEMBROKE PINES (CBSMiami) - The C.B. Smith Park coronavirus test site has expanded its criteria.
Formerly it was for first responders, healthcare, and those 65 and older who were symptomatic. Now the site is now accepting residents 18-years and old who are symptomatic.
Additionally, it is now accepting all first responders and healthcare workers who are asymptomatic.
More than 13,000 samples have been collected at the site.
Registration is required. Those wishing to be tested can call (954) 276-4680 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily to register.
Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens had already relaxed its testing criteria. This week, workers increased the cap for daily tests because of the demand.
FIU infectious diseases professor Dr. Aileen Marty said testing criteria has to be relaxed even more sooner than later.
"That's a crucial piece to the puzzle that we have not been applying and we need to apply very, very swiftly," she said.
Marty said testing could help slow or even stop the spread.
"We need to detect those asymptomatic cases and isolate and treat them until such time they're no longer shedding virus into the environment," she said.
A model state health leaders have been paying attention to every day shows the deaths per day in Florida with a peak that happened on April 2nd. However, the numbers change daily and the
Even if so, Marty said everyone must stay safe, at least, until there's a vaccine.
"Wear masks and try to stay a six-foot distance from other people even though they're all out in the community," she said.
Even though daily deaths are expected to decrease, the harsh reality is more people will die. Another model shows total deaths statewide will increase and most likely leveling out on Memorial Day.
Every person who wants to be tested at C.B. Smith site must pre-register. If multiple individuals are coming in one car, each individual must be pre-registered.
Every person must bring identification. Driver's License, Passport or State Issued ID (no pictures or photocopies).
Memorial Healthcare System clinical teams will notify all registrants of positive and negative results by phone. Registrants who provided an e-mail address during registration will receive a link to register to Memorial MyChart, where they will be able to see their results in their electronic medical record.
Memorial Healthcare System's COVID-19 test results line is (954) 276-1500 to request their test results be emailed or for any other testing questions.
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