DeSantis praises testing as cases rise
Governor’s goal: One test for every 200 people in state
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis touted Florida’s increased testing for the coronavirus Tuesday, saying that he wanted to match the rate of South Korea, which he reported has conducted one test for every 200 people.
Florida has tested more than 64,500 people as of Tuesday evening and would have to reach 110,000 tests to match that rate.
“When we started this process there was really very little testing available. Everything had to be done through the CDC,” DeSantis said. “We are increasing testing at a very fast rate.”
The surge in tests matches the large increase in positive cases. The latest figures Tuesday evening showed 6,741 cases, 857 hospital admissions and 88 deaths statewide for an increase of more than 1,000 cases, 150 admissions and 17 deaths in 24 hours.
As of Monday, Florida had completed the third-most tests among states, behind only California and Washington, according to data from DeSantis’ office. He pointed to the several mobile testing sites set up throughout the state, including a new one opening in Palm Beach County on Tuesday at
the spring training facilities used by the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros.
DeSantis also said neither the CDC nor the White House task force dedicated to coronavirus response has recommended that he issue a statewide shelter-in-place order as 30 other governors have done.
In Washington, President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were asked at their daily coronavirus press conference if they would advise DeSantis to issue a statewide stay-at-home order.
Pence that while the president had mandated nationwide coronavirus guidelines until April 30, the administration “would continue to defer to state and local health authorities on any measures they deem appropriate.”
Trump added that he would step in if he felt any governor was making bad decisions but that he was pleased with how DeSantis was handling the issue.
Democrats and some health officials have repeatedly called on DeSantis to issue the stay-at-home order, but DeSantis has preferred a targeted approach, supporting mass closures in South Florida and other outbreak areas but allowing local governments to tailor their own responses since some areas only have a few cases or none at all.
The governor also said he lacked the power to enforce any statewide shelter-in-place order, contending that local leaders would need to handle that.
Tuesday’s briefing with DeSantis was a marked change from previous media conferences. It took place in a large Cabinet meeting to allow for enough room to practice social distancing guidelines recommended by the CDC, and all credentialed press were invited. It came three days after leaders of Florida’s newspapers complained that DeSantis was excluding some reporters from his coronavirus briefings,
The reporter who was blocked Saturday, Mary Ellen Klas of the
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald bureau, was on another assignment and did not attend, but another reporter from the bureau was there.
In Orange County, meanwhile, drive-through COVID-19 testing will be available to more people beginning Wednesday, according to state Emergency Management officials who received federal approval to expand the test pool near the Orange County Convention Center.
Anyone with a pre-existing medical condition such as asthma, diabetes or cancer is now eligible to be tested.
Anyone who is symptomatic according to guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also can be tested for coronavirus.
Screeners won’t require proof of pre-existing medical conditions, said John Scott, a retired Jacksonville firefighter and commander of the state-run testing station in the north parking lot of the idle convention center.
For the past six days, the site tested only first-responders, healthcare workers or persons age 65 or older with a fever or other symptoms outlined by the CDC. The restrictions were imposed because of limited numbers of kits to collect and test saliva samples.
“We’re on the honor system,” Scott said. “If you come out and tell us you have pre-existing medical conditions, we’re not at this point asking for any proof of that.”
People seeking to be tested must bring ID and medical insurance card.
He advised people wanting to be tested to line up early because the site is limited to 250 tests per day. The site opens at 9 a.m. daily and closes at 5 p.m. or whenever the daily supply of test kits is spent.
He was uncertain exactly how long testing would continue at the site but expected at least into next week. Every day, testing staff have arrived to find people waiting in the auto line to be screened.