Mobile testing centers in SWFL open Monday

Published: Updated:
Lee Health setting up drive-thru coronavirus testing site at Page Field Convenient Care. (WINK News)

The first local mobile collection site to test for coronavirus opens on Monday and the tent is already up at the Lee Convenient Care facility near Page field.

But not just anybody can show up.

Patients must have an order from their physician or provider and make an appointment before showing up to the collection site. These requirements are necessary to maintain an orderly collection process. Patients who are experiencing symptoms and don’t have a test order should call their primary care physician.

Lee Health will send the swab samples off for testing and the patient’s provider will give the results when they are ready.

This is not the only mobile testing site opening up in Southwest Florida, NCH will also be collecting samples.

You don’t need an appointment at NCH, but you still need a doctor’s order.

Health officials tell us not only is this convenient, but it’s also safer.

“If you’re doing it inside, it has to be in a special negative airflow room to contain the virus particles and so that kind of limits where these people can be tested… so by taking it outside, we eliminate that need for that room and we can test more people and do it more safely,” said Dr. Karen Calkins, MD/Medical Director, at Lee Health Convenient Care.

The Page Field Lee Convenient Care office is located at 4771 S Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers. It’s open from Noon until 4 p.m. on Monday.

The site will initially have the capacity to collect up to 32 specimens per day. Lee Health has plans in place to expand the hours and open additional collection sites due to demand.

The mobile site is for collection of COVID-19 samples only. The specimens will be sent to a lab for testing, which takes 3-4 days to return.

IF YOU FEEL SICK:

The Florida Department of Health has opened a 24-hour COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.

LINK: Florida Department of Health COVID-19 updates

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