South Florida COVID-19 testing sites see long lines ahead of Christmas holiday

MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Hundreds of South Floridians waited hours in line to get tested for COVID-19 ahead of the Christmas holiday.

7SkyForce HD hovered over a line wrapped around the parking lot of the testing site at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Monday morning.

At around noon, the Hard Rock Stadium testing site reported a two-and-a-half-hour wait time for those who are in line. About 500 people can get tested at this location per hour.

Some people who spoke to 7News said they waited up to three hours before being tested.

Those who are getting tested on Monday are hoping to get their results before Christmas.

“We’ve seen an increase in demand,” said Mike Jachles of the Division of Emergency Management.

Over the weekend, Florida reached a total of 1.2 million COVID-19 cases reported in the state since the start of the pandemic, and more than 20,000 have died.

The positivity rate has also hovered around 8% for the past couple of weeks.

The Florida Department of Health on Monday reported 11,015 new coronavirus cases in the state, with 112 deaths.

Out of those cases, 2,297 were reported in Miami-Dade County, 917 in Broward and 30 in Monroe.

Health experts warn that even if Monday’s test results come back negative, the holiday should not be celebrated like years prior.

Everyone is still advised to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to stay safe.

Officials at the Hard Rock testing site said Monday is likely the deadline to get test results back by Christmas.

“You’re cutting it close because even at two days, you get it done on Monday, you may have the results Wednesday or Thursday, said Jachles, “but again, if the labs see that increase in workload, they may not be able to turn those test results around in time.”

The long lines at testing sites come as the second COVID-19 vaccine approved by the U.S. government makes its way to hospitals across the nation.

“About 61,000 doses of the Moderna [vaccine] are going to arrive today,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

In total, the governor said, about 300,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine should arrive in the Sunshine State by Tuesday, followed by another 120,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

“Our goal is to be able to get it out for folks who are able to help the people as best they can,” he said.

The vaccine rollout is still in Phase 1, focusing on healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

Mercy Hospital began vaccinating their staff on Saturday.

“It’s critical that we keep our staff healthy so that they can continue to take care of our patients,” said Dr. Mark Multach at Mercy Hospital.

“I thought it was important for me to protect myself, and also protect the patients that I’m taking care off, and my family and friends,” said Jenna Anderson, a registered nurse at Mercy Hospital.

Over the weekend, cellphone video captured a large crowd of people gathered in South Beach.

Those in the crowd did not appear to be practicing social distancing guidelines. Some were seen without face coverings.

“We need to continue with all of the precautions: the masking, the disinfecting, the distancing,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “That’s the only thing that will keep us safe.”

“You never know if have COVID or are around people who have COVID until it’s too late,” said Anderson.

COVID-19 testing sites across South Florida will be closing for the Christmas holiday.

The Hard Rock Stadium testing site will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Testing sites may have different holiday hours so those who are looking to get tested should call ahead of time.

Upcoming games at the Hard Rock Stadium may also affect the site’s testing availability in the near future.

For information on COVID-19 testing sites in Miami-Dade County, click here. For Broward County, click here.

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