Traffic Backed Up In Sarasota Due To Long Wait For COVID-19 Testing: Police

SARASOTA, FL — Long lines at the COVID-19 testing site at the former Kennel Club at 5400 Old Bradenton Road is causing “heavy traffic delays” in the area, Sarasota police tweeted Wednesday morning.

Many people are waiting more than three hours to get tested at the site, G. Steve Huard, public information office for the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, said Tuesday afternoon.

“We’ve been getting a lot of calls from people concerned about the three plus hour wait at the former Kennel Club for COVID-19 testing,” he said.

Huard suggested that those seeking coronavirus testing in Sarasota County visit other testing sites:

• Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th Street, Sarasota. This drive-thru site offers PCR tests daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Robert L. Taylor Community Complex parking lot, 1845 34th Street, Sarasota. This walk-up site offers PCR and rapid tests Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Dallas White Park, 5900 Greenwood Ave., North Port. This walk-up site offers PCR and rapid tests Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The wait for testing at both the Robert L. Taylor complex and Ed Smith Stadium was only 30 to 45 minutes Tuesday afternoon, he added.

All four testing sites in the county are closed Saturday for New Year’s Day.

More people are seeking COVID-19 tests during the current surge in cases. Just shy of 47,000 new cases were reported in Florida Wednesday, breaking the state's record for the number of cases reported in a single day, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to data from the Florida Department of Health, the state saw a new case positivity rate of 13.8 percent and 125,201 new coronavirus cases from Dec. 17-23.