MANATEE COUNTY, FL (May 4, 2020) – Manatee County's community-wide effort to test local residents for COVID-19 has expanded by more than 30 percent over the past week, and Manatee County residents will have even more options for local testing in coming weeks.
To date, there have been 4,066 COVID-19 tests given in Manatee County, meaning the County has nearly reached its initial goal of having 1 percent of its 411,000 residents tested. MCR Health tested 1,665 potential COVID-19 patients on Saturday alone during its free drive-through test sites in Manatee County.
As of Wednesday, April 29, 78 percent of Manatee County's positive COVID-19 cases had recovered.
Additional community testing is a critical component in "flattening the curve" of the coronavirus and County Administrator Cheri Coryea says the County's new goal is to have 2 percent, or 8,220 people tested. Manatee County residents have the following options to get tested for COVID-19.
Department of Health testing at Convention Center
Appointments are required for the Department of Health drive-through collection test period at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, Wednesday May 6 through Friday, May 8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Patients must make an appointment in advance of testing by calling (941) 748-0747. There is no cost for patients who use the DOH drive-through collection site.
Specimens collected at the drive-through site will be sent to labs for testing.
In addition, everyone who arrives at the drive-thru must:
- Be in a vehicle. No walk-up patients will be seen.
- Drivers must remain in their vehicle at all times.
- Drivers must present a photo ID (Name on ID or proof of address and the name on the prescription must match.)
Anyone in Manatee County who believes they may have COVID-19 should call the Manatee Health Line at (941) 242-6649 BEFORE calling 911 or visiting a hospital emergency room.
MCR Health test sites
Testing will continue to be available at the following three MCR Health locations throughout Manatee County:
- East Manatee Health and Wellness Center
1312 Manatee Ave E, Bradenton, (941) 708-8700
- Southeast Family Healthcare Center
919 53rd Ave E, Bradenton, (941) 751-8100
- Edgar H. Price Family & Children Healthcare Center
12271 U.S. Hwy 301 N, Parrish, (941) 776-4050
Florida regional testing site
A drive-thru, regional COVID-19 testing site opened yesterday near the Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Dr. At 2 p.m. today 400 individuals had been tested and the site has reached maximum capacity for the day. No appointments or prescriptions are needed, but the site is limited to performing 400 tests per day. It will reopen at 9 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5.
Over the past week, four new testing sites have opened across the state for a total of 12 drive-thru testing sites statewide. In order to balance resources across the state, each site has a set testing limit at each site based on demand and available supplies.
County Commission update tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Coryea will deliver an update to County Commissioners tomorrow during a virtual meeting that begins at 9 a.m. For the first time, Manatee County residents will be able to dial into the meeting by calling (888) 788-0099. From there, callers should enter Meeting ID: 85257823453 (followed by #). No participant ID is necessary. Push # to continue.
Coryea will deliver a report to the Commissioners about today's first day of partially opened public beaches. Code Enforcement and Beach Patrol officials say parking lots were crowded all day, but beachgoers were mindful of parking limits and social distancing guidelines. No one was asked to break up a large gathering and no one was issued a parking citation as of 2 p.m. today.
View the latest on Manatee County's community-wide effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by visiting www.mymanatee.org/COVID-19
or text ManateeReady to 888-777.
For more information on Manatee County Government, visit www.mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl and on Twitter, @ManateeGov.