Bayfront Health Urgent Care asks public to find COVID-19 testing elsewhere

COVID-19 testing remains hard to come by as hospitals and urgent care centers ask the public to not go there just for testing. (CREDIT: WINK News)

Many hospitals are so overwhelmed they’re begging the public not to head to the emergency room for COVID-19 testing.

Urgent Care centers are also feeling the pressure.

Bayfront Health Urgent Care, in Cape Coral, put out a warning Tuesday night to not go there for COVID-19 tests.

Some health care centers are feeling the crunch because there is a growing number of COVID patients and there’s an increase in demand for COVID-19 tests.

Brandon Puddefoot, an FGCU student, said he started feeling COVID-like symptoms on Tuesday morning.

“I got an email from my school saying someone in one of my classes tested positive so I think there probably,” Brandon said.

Brandon and his family went to Lee Health and Curative’s new testing site on Pine Island Road.

“My husband has a very low immune system,” said Trina Puddefoot, Brandon’s mother. “His blood cell count is very low, so it’s really dangerous for him to get COVID.”

It was hard to find a testing site.

“I tried to get a test at CVS and they were full for the next two days,” Brandon said.

Trina said it was hard for them because they live near Lehigh Acres and Buckingham.

“We had to drive all the way over here; it was the only place we could get a test today,” Trina said.

CVS doesn’t have any tests available until Sunday.

Some Walgreens locations have openings on Thursday .

Meanwhile, Bayfront Health in Care Coral, closed its urgent care on Tuesday, offering only ER services because too many people were visiting to get tested.

Lee Health continues to ask people not to visit their emergency department just for a COVID-19 screening.

“If you’re coming to the ER, we want you to come because you have symptoms, and you have a true medical emergency that requires our intervention,” said Armando Llechu, chief officer of operations at Lee Health.

Hospital staff says they won’t turn people away but anyone waiting for a COVID-19 test can expect a long way because the sickest people are prioritized first.

MORE:

For a list of testing sites, visit here.

Where to find COVID-19 testing.