Hundreds get tested at new Central Florida COVID-19 testing site before reaching capacity

well, they opened up the site because they needed a third site because of the overwhelming demand. We have a little breaking news at this point, this white car is gonna be the last one in for the day that car actually broke down in line and this deputy sheriff is going to be pushing that car into the site so that people inside can get tested. Everybody back here has been told that the site is closed, but they’re still waiting in line. You can see here, this gentleman has got the sign up, he’s taking it off of his vehicle right there, putting it up saying that the test site has reached capacity and they should come back another day, which is gonna be sunday morning at nine o’clock. Hundreds of people went through here today, all of them with a different reason to get tested. Um, because I’m traveling so I need to get tested to get a negative covid test. So I could, some destinations do require a negative test for travelers, especially now with Omicron, I’m flying out of the country tomorrow, he was in line hours before the nine am opening and seemingly every minute more and more people were in line look at the number of cars as we drove to the site at South Orange Youth Park mid morning, one lane of Orange Avenue, a parking lot for nearly two miles. The county urging people to stay alert as they funnel into the testing site. Cars are moving, we’re dealing with super long lines and everybody needs to be on their toes. The holidays meant people gathered and now post christmas, people are thinking about the return to work in school at any potential exposure as they celebrated. We’re expecting it to be busy for the next few weeks. Of course, as people come back from their christmas vacations with their families, you know, they may have been exposed. People want peace of mind before going back to work in school. It’s hard. You know, during this week I have been sick, I think I have the symptoms, I want to be sure that I’m fine okay adding to demand cold and flu season. People looking for clarity, but you don’t feel good and you came here to do the line to do everything correct. She and hundreds of others hoping to get a test before capacity is reached and determine if they are part of the new covid cases and as we’re back live now those people did make it, but others did not. You see the sign, they’re going up again. Test site is at max capacity here at the South Orange Youth complex. This again, is the third site that they opened because they have had so much demand in Orange County. The Barnett park site closed a little after one today because we’ve reached capacity Ikan soccer complex a little bit before three and now we’ve got the last car that’s gonna be coming in through here with a little help from the deputy sheriff and then those cars that are in line are gonna have to come back another day. Which again, the sites in Orange County are gonna be closed New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. They’ll all three reopened sunday morning at nine o’clock reporting live in Orange County. Dave, Mcdaniel. Wesh, two news Dave. Thank you marrying the high. Mm. Hmm.
REPORTER: THEY OPENED UP THE SITES BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMING DEMAND. WE HAVE BRKIEANG NEWS AT THIS POINT, THIS WHITE CAR IS GOING TO BE THE LAST ONE AND FOR THE DAY, THIS CAR ACTUALLY BROKE DOWN AND LINE AND THIS DEPUTY SHERIFF IS GOING TO BE PUSHING THE CAR INTO THE SITE, SO THE PEOPLE INSIDE CAN GET TESTED. EVERYBODY BACK HERE HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THE SITE IS CLOSED BUT THEY ARE STILL WAITING IN LINE. THIS GENTLEMAN HAS GOT THE SIGN UP, HE IS TAKING IT OFF OF HIS VEHICLE RIGHT THERE, PUTTING IT UP, SAYING THE TEST SITE HAS REACHED CAPACITY AND THEY SHOULD COME BACK ANOTHER DAY, WHICH IS GOING TO BE SUNDAY MORNING AT 9:00. HURENDDS OF PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR TODAY, ALL OF THEM WITH A DIFFERENT REASON TO GET TESTED. >> I’M TRAVELING, SO I NEED TO GET TESTED. I NEED A NEGATIVE COVID TEST, SO I CAN TRAVEL TO JAMAICA. REPORTER: SOME DESTINATIONS DO REQUIRE A NEGATIVE TEST FOR TRAVELERS, ESPECIALLY WITH OMICRON. >> I’M FLYING OUT OF THE COUNTRY MOTORROW. REPORTER: HE WAS IN LINE HOURS BEFORE THE 9:00 A.M. OPENING, AND SEEMINGLY EVERY MINUTE, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WERE IN LINE. LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF CARS, AS WE DROVE TO THE SITE AT SOUTH ORANGE YOUTH PARK MID MORNING. ONE LANE OF ORANGE AVENUE, A PARKING LOT FOR NEARLY TWO MILES. THE COUNTY, URGING PEOPLE TO STAY ALERT, AS THEY FUNNEL INTO THE TESTING SITE. >> CARS ARE MOVING, WE’RE DEALING WITH SUPER LONG LINES, AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE ON THEIR TOES. REPORTER: THE HOLIDAYS MEANT PEOPLE GATHERED, AND NOW POST CHRISTMAS, PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE RETURN TO WORK AND SCHOOL, AND ANY POTENTIAL EXPORESU AS THEY CELEBRATED. >> WE ARE EXPECTING IT TO BE BUSY FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AS PEOPLE COME BACK FROM THEIR CHRISTMAS VACATIONS WITH THEIR HOLIDAYS, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED — PEOPLE WANT PEACE OF MIND, BEFORE GOING BACK TO WORK AND SCHOOL. >> IT’S HARD. YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK, I’VE BEEN FEELING SICK, I THINK I HAVE THE SYMPTOMS, SO I WANT TO BE SURE I’M FINE, OR IF I HAVE COVID OR THE FLU. >> I’M COUGHING, YOU KNOW. REPORTER: ADDING TO DEMAND, COLD AND FLU SEASON, PEOPLE LOOKING FOR CLARITY. >> YOU DON’T FEEL GOOD, YOU CAME HERE TO DO THE LINE, TO DO EVERYTHING CORRECT. REPORTER: SHE AND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS ARE HOPING TO GET A TEST BEFORE CAPACITY IS REACHED TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE PART OF THE NEW COVID CASES. BACK TO LIVE NOW, THOSE PEOPLE DID MAKE IT BUT OTHERS DID NOT, YOU SEE THE SIGN GOING UP AGAIN. THE TEST SITE IS AT MAX CAPACITY HERE AT THE SOUTH ORANGE YOUTH COMPLEX. THIS IS THE THIRD SITE THEY OPENED BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH DEMAND IN ORANGE COUNTY. ANOTHER SITE CLOSED AT 1 P.M., ANOTHER BEFORE 3 P.M., NOW WE’VE GOT THE LAST CAR THAT’S GOING TO BE COMING IN THROUGH HERE, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THE DEPUTY SHERIFF, THEN THOSE CARS THAT ARE IN LINE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK ANOTHER DAY, WHICH AGAIN, THE SITES IN ORANGE COUNTY ARE GOING TO BE CLOSED NEW YEAR’S EVE AND NEW YEAR’S DAY. THEY WILL ALL THREE REOPEN SUNDAY MORNING AT 9:00 A.M.

A new Orange County COVID-19 testing site opened on the south side as demand for tests explode.”I’m traveling, so I need to get tested. Need a negative COVID test so I can travel to Jamaica,” Andre McNaughton said.Some travel destinations require a negative test for travelers, especially with omicron.”I’m flying out of the country tomorrow,” Britton Petrucelly said.Petrucelly was in line hours before the 9 a.m. opening. As time went on, more and more people joined. As WESH 2 News drove to the site at South Orange Youth Sports Complex Park mid-morning, the line stretched nearly two miles. The county is urging people to stay alert as they funnel into the testing site.“Cars are moving. We’re dealing with super long lines, everyone needs to be on their toes,” Alexandra Nixon with Orange County Health Services said.The holidays meant people gathered. After Christmas, people are thinking about the return to work and school and any potential exposure as they celebrated.”Expect it to be busy for the next few weeks. People coming home from the holidays may have been exposed. People want peace of mind before going back to work and school,” Nixon said.”It’s hard. You know this week I’ve been feeling sick, I think I have the symptoms. I want to be sure I’m fine or if I have the COVID or the flu,” Elvin Bierantoni said.Adding to the demand for testing is the cold and flu season.Each of Orange County’s three testing sites reached capacity Thursday.Barnett Park hit capacity after 1 p.m., Econ Soccer Complex closed before 3 p.m. and the new site hit capacity at 4 p.m.All Orange County sites will close for the next two days then open at 9 a.m. Sunday morning.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

A new Orange County COVID-19 testing site opened on the south side as demand for tests explode.

“I’m traveling, so I need to get tested. Need a negative COVID test so I can travel to Jamaica,” Andre McNaughton said.

Some travel destinations require a negative test for travelers, especially with omicron.

“I’m flying out of the country tomorrow,” Britton Petrucelly said.

Petrucelly was in line hours before the 9 a.m. opening. As time went on, more and more people joined.

As WESH 2 News drove to the site at South Orange Youth Sports Complex Park mid-morning, the line stretched nearly two miles.

The county is urging people to stay alert as they funnel into the testing site.

“Cars are moving. We’re dealing with super long lines, everyone needs to be on their toes,” Alexandra Nixon with Orange County Health Services said.

The holidays meant people gathered. After Christmas, people are thinking about the return to work and school and any potential exposure as they celebrated.

“Expect it to be busy for the next few weeks. People coming home from the holidays may have been exposed. People want peace of mind before going back to work and school,” Nixon said.

“It’s hard. You know this week I’ve been feeling sick, I think I have the symptoms. I want to be sure I’m fine or if I have the COVID or the flu,” Elvin Bierantoni said.

Adding to the demand for testing is the cold and flu season.

Each of Orange County’s three testing sites reached capacity Thursday.

Barnett Park hit capacity after 1 p.m., Econ Soccer Complex closed before 3 p.m. and the new site hit capacity at 4 p.m.

All Orange County sites will close for the next two days then open at 9 a.m. Sunday morning.

Hundreds get tested at new Central Florida COVID-19 testing site before reaching capacity – WESH 2 Orlando

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