CenturyLink testing center seeing heavy influx of people wanting to get tested amid spike in cases

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century link testing. Photo via WINK News

As Florida sees record numbers of reported coronavirus cases each week, long lines are piling up at testing sites across the state.

Massive lines were back outside the drive-through testing site at CenturyLink sports complex in Lee County.

The testing site has been open for a couple of hours on Thursday and people were lined up as early as 4:30 a.m. to get tested with lines reaching all the way back to Daniels Parkway.

Just a month and a half ago the testing site was almost empty.

The National Guard is now asking people to get tested.

A number of people at the site say they’re not showing any symptoms but as cases rise they want to get tested for peace of mind.

“I went today to rule out if I had it,” said Lee County resident, Jacklyn McLoon. “I can be spreading it to 12 other people and I have no idea if I’m asymptomatic, so it’s good to get tested and find out.”

Ana Abella from Lee County said she was getting tested just for prevention. She said there was about a two-hour wait, but “once you get there it’s pretty quick.”

Among the faces in the crowd were people both young and old.

“When all this started, it was mostly geared toward older people and the older population and that’s who you were seeing getting sick and now, we actually know if you people our age were showing symptoms or who have tested positive,” said Kendall Minor of Lee County.

As more cases are reported in Florida, she says she came to ease her concerns.

“I actually had a person at my work test positive so it’s required for all of us to get tested,” she said. “I think it’s definitely just kind of an ease of mind for people. If it’s free and you have the day off why not?”

As of closing at 2 p.m., the National Guard said they’d conducted 998 tests Thursday.

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