CLEARWATER, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis was in Clearwater Tuesday to visit BayCare's Morton Plant Hospital.
During a press conference, the governor announced the state will receive more than 6.4 million rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. DeSantis said the tests would be available to long-term care facilities and seniors; and he is working to make them available in schools. These tests provide results in about 15 minutes.
The governor said the first shipment from the federal government should be in by Friday. About 450,000 tests are expected in this first installment.
Earlier today, the Tampa International Airport announced its partnership with BayCare to offer two kinds of COVID-19 tests to all passengers who fly out of or arrive at the airport.
The testing site, one of four run by BayCare, will offer both rapid antigen tests and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests. The site will operate seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on a walk-in basis. As of now, the testing site is a pilot program that will run from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31.
Passengers can get these tests within three days before or after their flight, provided they bring proof of travel with them. The cost of a PCR test is $125, and a rapid antigen test will cost $57.
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