Millions of rapid tests coming to Florida to be used for vulnerable population, schools

Jacksonville FL — On Monday, we reported when the Trump Administration announced 150 million rapid tests were going to be sent across the U.S. for states to use. During a press conference Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state will be getting its share of those tests and then an additional 6.4 million which will primarily be used at long-term care facilities, senior communities and schools. DeSantis says the tests will be used to find infections at long-term care facilities and at senior communities and will allow vulnerable populations to participate in more activities.

“So for example, if you have a senior who would like to have younger family members come, ya know, this is not, these will be available.” DeSantis says.

He says the rapid test results will be available within 15 minutes.

The other focus of these tests will go towards keeping children in school. DeSantis says now the state is in a position where students are missing class time because they are being isolated after they came into contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. He says the tests will now allow students to get tested and get the results back quicker to know if they have the virus or not, which will prevent them from having to be isolated.

“This is probably as happy as I’ve been about testing in an awful long time.” DeSantis says.

The Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Jared Moskowitz, says they are expecting 420,000 tests to arrive in the state by Friday. DeSantis says the state will then get 400,000 tests a week.

Cox Media Group