FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 5, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATE 32
BROWARD COUNTY OFFERS MOBILE AND IN-HOME COVID-19 TESTING FOR HOMEBOUND ELDERLY OR DISABLED INDIVIDUALS
En Español
DAVIE, Fla. – Broward County, the Florida Department of Health in Broward (FDOH-Broward), American Medical Response (AMR) and Century Ambulance Services (CAS) are set to launch on Wednesday, May 6, a new mobile/in-home testing program that continues its efforts to increase the number of COVID-19 tests that health professionals are able to administer to our residents.
Residents eligible for the new testing option include homebound elderly or individuals with disabilities who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and cannot leave their homes to access one of the drive-up or walk-up test collection sites.
Initial hours of operation will be from 9 a.m. - noon, and 1 p.m.– 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. AMR and CAS will each collect up to 12 specimens per day but will have the capability to ramp up staffing to complete up to 25 tests per day. Florida Department of Health in Broward will be prepared to receive and process up to 50 specimens daily from AMR and CAS.
FDOH-Broward will manage the overall testing process, provide training to the collection teams, and provide specimen collection kits and any materials needed to package store and transport specimens. FDOH-Broward will also notify residents of test results, and conduct contact tracing for those individuals that test positive for COVID-19.
AMR and CAS will provide vehicles and health professionals to collect specimens using nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal swabs. Specimens will be transported to the Department of Health daily, according to all professional standards for specimen handling and transport. AMR and CAS will follow all infection control recommendations of theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Residents who believe they are eligible for the mobile/in-home testing option should call the Broward County COVID-19 Call Center at 954-357-9500 for a pre-qualifying assessment. The Call Center is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.
###
Media Contact:
Leona Henry, Intergovernmental Affairs Manager
Office: 954-797-1035
Sussette Rodriguez, Public Relations Coordinator
Office: 954-797-1102
If you do not wish to receive Town of Davie news releases please email [email protected] and request that your email address be removed from this list.