Long lines, wait times at new COVID-19 testing site ahead of holiday weekend
TAMPA, Fla. - Long lines wrapped around the new COVID-19 testing site at Progress Village on Thursday with some hoping to get tested in order to travel and others trying to confirm they have the virus.
Hillsborough County opened the testing site to relieve longer lines it saw at other sites throughout the week.
"This line is ridiculous and crazy, I didn’t know it was going to be this long when I got here," said Jareli Gonzalez, a mother waiting in line to be tested.
Progress Village will be closed Friday and Saturday – but the Lee Davis Community Resource Center, located at 3402 N. 22nd St. in Tampa, and the Plant City Community Resource Center, located at 307 N. Michigan Ave. in Plant City, will be open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Dec. 31- Jan. 2.
CVS and Walgreens are also administering COVID-19 tests by appointment, but slots have been filling up quickly and a quick scan online shows no available appointments until next week.
READ: Florida's spike in COVID cases sets another pandemic record
"I was trying to go to CVS, but they didn’t have anything," Gonzalez explained.
There are options to purchase tests online. A bestseller on Amazon costs $24.99 for two rapid tests – but it’ll take about seven days to get it.
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