FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - COVID-19 testing sites across South Florida are seeing long lines after the holiday weekend, but health officials are saying waiting to get tested may be safer.
On Monday morning, the Hard Rock Stadium testing site saw a two-hour wait time.
In the first 50 minutes of testing today @FLSERT @HardRockStadium #COVID19 Test Site – 540 tests were done. Currently about a 2-hour wait but we are working hard to get everyone through. pic.twitter.com/3hf5fAKvPv
— Florida Association of Public Information Officers (@FloridaPIOs) December 28, 2020
Health experts are trying to warn members of the public who get tested right after traveling or being around a group of people that a false-negative test result is possible.
Waiting about a week after the weekend’s holiday gatherings can provide a better chance of receiving an accurate test.
Testing demands come after a busy weekend at airports across the U.S.
On Saturday and Sunday, over 2 million travelers passed through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints across the country.
The Wednesday before Christmas was the busiest travel day of the year until Sunday.
As many as 1,128,773 travelers passed through TSA checkpoints on Saturday, and on Sunday checkpoints saw 1,284,599 pass through.
Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said after all the traveling Americans did over the holiday season, he is worried about a massive surge of COVID-19 cases in a few weeks.
“I’ve described it as a surge upon a surge because if you look at the slope, the incline of cases that we’ve experienced as we’ve gone into the late fall and soon to be early winter, it is really quite troubling,” said Fauci.
Over the past three days, there have been over 24,000 COVID-19 cases across Florida.
The anticipated surge of COVID-19 cases is expected to be recorded in data in two to three weeks.
Those who receive a positive COVID-19 test are advised to contact all individuals who were at the same gatherings.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.