Miami Seniors Not Showing COVID-19 Symptoms Can Now Get Tested At Charles Hadley Park
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in Liberty City has expanded its testing criteria.
As of Wednesday, seniors who live in Miami and who are not experiencing any symptoms associated with coronavirus can be tested at Charles Hadley Park, 1350 NW 50th Street.
The site, which has been open for the past three weeks, will also continue offering COVID-19 testing to city residents age 18 and over who are experiencing symptoms.
Testing is by appointment only. Residents must call (305) 960-5050 to make an appointment.
Testing hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
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On Wednesday, 82-year-old Carl Ferrell walked up to the site and was told he could not be tested for coronavirus at Charles Hadley Park because he didn't have a car.
"They made me feel like I was quarantined already," Ferrell said.
Ferrell told CBS4 he has an underlying heart condition. Staff at the site gave Ferrell a flyer and said he could request a Miami Fire Rescue Mobile Unit to test him at his home instead.
"They said they could not test me here because I do not have a car, but if I had somebody to drive me through it could be performed," said Ferrell.
On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he was looking to open walk-up sites in Miami-Dade like those in Lauderhill and Pompano Beach to help low income and minority communities. So far, no plans have been made for walk-up testing in Miami-Dade.
The two walk-up sites in Broward have tested more than 1,100 people.
"We are trying to leverage an opportunity to do the rapid testing with CVS Pharmacy," Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam said.
Mayor Messam says the governor has not approved.
"We are hopeful we can make that happen so that the residents of Miramar can have an additional location to find out their impact," he said.
Currently, there are no testing sites in Miramar, which is the largest black populated city in Broward. Nationwide, minority communities have a higher risk of getting the virus. Since then, we have numbers to show that's the case in Florida.
Blacks make up roughly 16% of the state's population and have 16% of COVID-19 cases. Hispanics make up 26% of the state's population and they also make up 28% of cases. Meanwhile, 53% of the population is White non-Hispanic and make up 25% of the cases.
With more than 250 cases in Miramar, Messam said he knows more people have had it or currently have the virus. That's another reason he says more testing in his community is needed.
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