by: Mahsa Saeidi
Posted:
/ Updated:
TAMPA (WFLA) – Florida is getting 6.4 million rapid antigen tests from the federal government, Governor Ron DeSantis announced in Clearwater on Tuesday.
“Probably the best test that I’ve done of any of them,” DeSantis said.
The test, provided by Abbott Laboratories, can produce test results in just 15 minutes.
“This one, it does need to be administered by a nurse,” DeSantis added.
A lab test is not necessary.
“We’re going to be getting 400,000 of these tests a week,” the governor said.
The shipments will start later this week and will be distributed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
The priority is to have tests be sent to senior populations and tests will also eventually be administered in schools.
This comes as Florida has come under fire from some public health experts including Dr. Fauci who is concerned that Florida lifted all COVID-19 state restrictions.
Last week, Florida became the second high population state to enter phase 3 although Gov. DeSantis did not seem overly concerned.
“Dr. Anthony Fauci said that in lifting all restaurant restrictions, you’re asking for trouble, are you?” asked investigative reporter Mahsa Saeidi.
“So, I think it’s important to know we’ve had restaurants open the whole time. Obviously, we had a 50% capacity, but I think that they did a really good job in the contact tracing,” said Gov. DeSantis. “I’m confident that these restaurants want to have safe environments.”
According to Gov. DeSantis, there haven’t been many major COVID-19 outbreaks associated with restaurants.
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