South Palm Beach County COVID-19 Testing Site Opening at South County Civic Center

By: Robert S Weinroth

The County announced the establishment of a second drive thru testing site on South Palm Beach County at a 4PM press conference held at the Emergency Operations Center.

L-R: Robert S Weinroth, Mike Caruso, Dave Aronberg, Bobby Powell (obscured), Dave Kerner, Dr Alina Alonso, Jon Van Arnam (partially obscured), Alex Espinosa, Mack Bernard, Chief Reginald Duren

Commissioner Mack Bernard announced the COVID-19 drive thru testing site was being established in collaboration with the Board of County Commissioners, Cleveland Clinic Florida, the Florida National Guard, and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. The new site, which has already been set up, will open on Tuesday April 7th at 8AM.

Robert Weinroth, Richard Radcliffe, Mack Bernard and Mike Caruso

This new testing site is located at the South County Civic Center (16700 Jog Rd Delray Beach FL 33446).

Appointments are being scheduled by the Cleveland Clinic Florida. They will also be handling testing with the assistance of the National Guard, who have been charged with the task of operations and site logistics.

Testing kits are being provided by the Florida Division of Emergency Management for which the county thanks Governor Ron DeSantis and FDEM Director, Jared Moskowitz

Robert Weinroth, Richard Radcliffe and Dave Kerner

As has been the procedure with the testing site at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, only people approved for testing, after a brief telephone interview, will receive an appointment.

Telephone registration and appointment scheduling will begin on Monday, April 6th at 10AM. Beginning Tuesday, April 7th, the phone line will be open 7AM to 7PM, seven days a week (or until all appointment slots have been assigned.

Following Tuesday’s opening, testing will be available Monday through Friday from 8AM to 4PM and Saturday from 8AM to 12PM

Again, please do not come to the site without an appointment. Only people who have been given an appointment will be allowed to enter the site.

Individuals requesting testing will be approved through telephone screening conducted by Cleveland Clinic Florida. Screening criteria will include presence of symptoms, exposures, and risk factors.

There may be a high volume of calls, but staff will get work diligently to process each call quickly and professionally. Each individual approved for testing will be given an appointment date and time slot for arrival at the testing site.

Appointments can be made at 561.804.0250. Upon arrival at the site, a rapid check-in procedure will be conducted to verify the appointment time.

Again, please do not come to the testing site without an appointment. Individuals without appointments will be turned away and directed to call Cleveland Clinic of Florida to schedule an appointment.

Robert Weinroth, Richard Radcliffe and Bobby Powell

The check-in procedures and the testing (swab sample collection) will be conducted through an open window of the vehicle. No one will be permitted to leave their vehicles.

Testing results will be reported to Cleveland Clinic Florida who will notify the patient and the Palm Beach County Health Department.

Test results can be expected in approximately five (5) days, however, it may take longer. Individuals testing positive will be advised of isolation and quarantine protocols and referred for medical care if necessary.

As of 1PM Sunday, Palm Beach County had 998 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 49 deaths.

Among them was Palm Beach County Sheriff Deputy Sgt. Jose Ayala, who died Saturday.

Statewide, there have been 12,151 confirmed cases and 218 deaths.

Dr. Alonso, director of the Florida Department of Health-Palm Beach County, said Florida is No. 2 nationally behind New York in the number of people tested for COVID-19.

Through April 4th, a total of 113,451 people in Florida had been tested. Of those, 12,151 were positive: 10.7 percent.

“We only have two weapons to fight this virus – social distancing and testing,” Dr. Alonso said. “We have to test more people, not because we’re going to treat them different, but so that we know what the load is in the community.”

County Vice Mayor Robert Weinroth urged residents to continue to adhere to executive orders prohibiting the use of public and private recreation facilities such as golf courses and community swimming pools. “This is a sacrifice, but it’s a short-term sacrifice for the long-term goal of having more of us survive this pandemic,” he said.

State Attorney Dave Aronberg advised that jury trials, jury selection, and grand jury proceedings will remain on hold at least until April 17th.

At the county jail, Aronberg noted, all incoming inmates undergo a medical examination. No one displaying any symptoms of Coronavirous is allowed into the jail facility. No visitors are currently allowed at the jail.