Walk-Up Coronavirus Testing In North Miami Delayed
NORTH MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miami-Dade is getting its first walk-up COVID-19 test site.
It was supposed to open Friday, but the site was not ready.
When it opens, testing will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, 14500 NE 11th Avenue, in North Miami.
Anyone with symptoms will be able to walk up and get tested.
It will be similar to the walk-up sites in Broward, one in Lauderhill, the other in Pompano Beach, and helps expand access to people who may not be able to visit any of the drive-thru sites across South Florida.
Those two sites have tested more than 1,500 people.
Testing continues to be on everyone's mind as the county itches toward a return to work.
Miami-Dade said they've started retesting for positive COVID-19 patients at several sites including Marlins Park, the Youth Fair Grounds, and the South Dade Government Center.
At the University of Miami, doctors are conducting antibody testing but the results of those are not known yet.
Experts say plasma from those who had the virus and recovered is already working for some seriously ill COVID-19 patients.
"The use of convalescent plasma is rooted in the fact that people that are infected build antibodies to that infection," said Dr. Joshua Lenchus, at Broward Health Medical Center. "Once they recover those antibodies that they developed can then be transfused to people who are critically ill in an effort to boost up their immune system to fight the infection."
Some of that plasma donation is being done at OneBlood. Participants need a lab-confirmed positive test and are symptom-free for 14 days before donating plasma.
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