MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Monday marked the first official day of coronavirus testing at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The parking lot transformed into a testing site for COVID-19 similar to what we've seen around South Florida and was executed with military precision by members of the National Guard.
Hard Rock Stadium is one of three federally supported sites, with two more being set up in Duval and Orange counties.
“For us, at this point, it's just a matter of supply. It’s not a matter of will,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
State testing has been ramped up but is still not where it needs to be.
There are not enough swabs, the governor said, and the state is working to get more.
They are also trying to get more masks and hospital beds before a potential surge of patients.
“I arrived here at 8:30 and I'm done at 10:10," one Miami-Dade County employee who was tested said.
The employee didn’t want to reveal her identity. She said she didn't have symptoms but deals a lot with the public and wanted to get checked out.
“I figured it would be a line, but I was surprised how long the line was once I got there,” she said.
The site was only open to first responders Sunday, at which time about 700 men and women who are on the front line battling the virus were tested.
Those working on the ground expect to test even more people on Monday.
Officials at the drive-thru testing site at CB Smith Park in Pembroke Pines are asking people to call ahead of time in order to help ease the long wait times for those who want to be tested for the coronavirus.
That number is 954-276-7680.
"It will allow us to take care of those critical prescreening questions, and let us know if you meet the criteria for testing before arrival," said Dr. Jennifer Goldman with Memorial Healthcare.
There are two entrances to the site, one west of Flamingo Road on Pines Boulevard, but that one is designated for first responders.
For the general public, that entrance is off Flamingo Road and Johnson Street. Wait times exceeded two hours over the weekend.
Despite the long lines, over 2,000 people had been screened at CB Smith Park as of Monday.
Since Cleveland Clinic in Weston began testing last week, they made 582 appointments for people to be screened.