TAMPA -- Hillsborough County has extended community testing for COVID-19 through Wednesday, after acquiring 1000 more test collection kits. The county's statement is below:
Hillsborough County, Fla. (April 2, 2020)– Hillsborough County Emergency Management has secured 1,000 additional testing collection kits from the State of Florida and will be extending the operations of the COVID-19 community testing site at Raymond James Stadium, located at 4201 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., through Wednesday, April 8, with the siteclosed during the weekendwhile supplies last. Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Drive-thru testing will be administered by appointment only to symptomatic patients that have pre-registered through Hillsborough County’s call center. Vehicle passengersMUSTonly include those needing a test. The call center will be taking appointments today through Friday, April 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, April 6 through Tuesday, April 7 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.while supplies last.
Appointment seekers are urged to be thoughtful of others. Test kit supplies are low, and demand is very high across the nation. Those who fail to arrive at their designated appointment time will lose their opportunity to be tested without exception. Residents that miss appointments or fail to show up will be required to re-register through the call center as missed appointments may result in other symptomatic residents being unable to secure a needed appointment time.
The site is in the parking lot south of the stadium bordered by Tom McEwen Blvd. on the north, Dale Mabry Hwy. to the west, and Himes Ave. to the east. Vehicles should enter from Dale Mabry Hwy. or Himes Ave. Entry will be marked with signage.
The site will be staffed by health care professionals in medical protective gear who are trained to test for COVID-19 coronavirus. Directional signage and law enforcement will help residents through the testing site in an orderly fashion.
Pre-Screening and Pre-Registration Are Required:
- Residents may get tested if they have been pre-screened and meet testing guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and the Florida Department of Health.
- Residents also must be pre-registered through the Hillsborough County Customer Service Center at (813) 272-5900. The call center will be augmented with health care staff today through Friday, April 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, April 6 through Tuesday, April 7 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. while supplies last.
- Persons who do not have a designated primary care physician or are uninsured are eligible for pre-screening and pre-registration through the call center.
- What to Bring:You must arrive in a personal vehicle.Due to the increased risk of contamination as well as current shortages of personal protective equipment,walk-ups are not permitted at this time.
- Each person to be tested must be seated next to a working window.
- Limit vehicle passengers to those needing a test.
- Have a photo ID for all persons being tested with name, date of birth, and photo (can be Florida driver’s license, state-issued ID, or passport).
- Bring theCORRECTconfirmation code as provided; this can be a printed copy of the testing confirmation email received from the call center, a screen-shot of the confirmation number, or the code may be provided verbally. A printed code or screen-shot on the phone helps the process, but is not required.
- You will berequiredto provide the following information:
- Full name
- Current address (where you are staying)
- Best phone number to reach you in order to receive test results
- What to Expect:You will be greeted by a health care provider in personal protective gear who will give you instructions.
- You will be given a tissue to blow your nose. You will need to keep the tissue to dispose of on your own.
- A soft swab will be inserted deep into your nose to get the necessary sample. This may be slightly uncomfortable, but the test is quick and should take less than a minute.
- Test results are not immediate. It may take several days. After the test, you will be given information on what to do while you await the results.
- You will receive test results via the telephone number you gave at the time of pre-screening.
Persons who are experiencing a medical emergency should dial 9-1-1 immediately.
The testing site has been a collaboration among Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, and four major medical groups in the region – BayCare, Tampa General Hospital, AdventHealth, and HCA Healthcare – West Florida Division.
Other Hillsborough County Updates
Pet Resource Center (PRC) service updates.In an abundance of caution for health and safety concerns, the volunteer programs at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center (PRC) have been suspended until future notice. The PRC will remain open to the public, including for pet adoptions, by-appointment only. To request an appointment, residents can contact (813) 272-5900 or submit a request viaHCFLGov.net/AtYourService.
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