Last-minute COVID-19 testing at CenturyLink causes long lines

Reporter: Lauren Sweeney Writer: Drew Hill
Published: Updated:
centurylink sports complex

Hundreds of people waited in line at the CenturyLink Sports Complex COVID-19 testing site on Wednesday. All of them hoping to see a negative test result just in time for Christmas.

WINK News Reporter Lauren Sweeney stood in the line herself and said it only took her about 45 minutes. It only took her 15 minutes to get her negative test result.

At about 9 a.m. staff at CenturyLink estimate that there were between 200 and 300 people in line to get tested. They say that’s about what they’ve been averaging every single hour. And, about 3,000 people are getting tested here every single day.

David Allen lives in Fort Myers and believes he was exposed to COVID-19 last week. So he’s come to get tested twice in the past two days. “When I pulled up yesterday, there’s probably twice as many people today because they’re closed tomorrow and the next day so I feel like it’s a last-minute thing,” Allen said.

As David mentioned, CenturyLink will be closed for testing on December 24 and 25, that’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They will resume regular testing hours on Saturday, December 26.

On New Year’s Eve, testing will only be available half of the day, from 8 a.m. to noon. They will be closed on New Year’s Day.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.