Carlos Gimenez

New Self-Swab COVID Test Site Opens in Tropical Park

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Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez expressed cautious optimism about South Florida's coronavirus outbreak at the opening of a new self-swab test site Monday morning at Tropical Park.

"We’re starting to see improving signs in the COVID-19 positivity rate and hospitalizations, but it will take many weeks to get back on track and reduce the spread," Gimenez said.

The test site is open seven days a week to anyone age five and older. Showing symptoms is not necessary to be able to get a test.

Gimenez said that there are enough swabs to test up to 1,100 people per day. He also mused at the difficulty of opening schools for in-person classes in the Fall.

“As long as we have around a 20% positivity rate, it’s gonna be very difficult I think to open up schools in the normal fashion," Gimenez said. "The superintendent has the option of delaying the start of school, maybe that would be a good idea.”

And, the mayor pointed out, things could change: “We need to see where we are around the beginning of school to determine exactly in which way schools will open.”

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