On March 22, about 50 Monroe County residents made use of Community Health Inc.’s drive through COVID-19 site at Marathon Community Park. Of those, three met the criteria to be tested, said Dr. Tony Amofah, CHI’s chief medical officer.
CHI is setting up another testing day for Monroe County residents on Saturday, March 28 behind its brick and mortar facility located at 2805 Overseas Highway in Marathon. The testing will be done by appointment from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Residents are instructed to call 305-216-2107 or email keyscovid19@chisouthfl.org.
The screening will be done over the phone, and then Keys residents who meet the criteria will be given an appointment time to show up in the parking lot behind CHI.
“We will test them right away, but those patients won’t enter the center,” said Marianne Finizio, CHI’s vice president of communications.
The CHI’s criteria for testing is whether or not a patient has traveled recently to an affected country, been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, or is symptomatic (cough, fever or shortness of breath). Tested patients will be contacted by phone, and also given information for a digital portal.
Finizio said that anyone who enters either Keys clinic (Tavernier or Marathon) for regular service will also be screened. The Tavernier site has primary and pediatric appointments. The Marathon center offers primary care services, pediatrics, ob gyn, behavioral health (Friday), dental (emergency only) and lab services.
CHI opened a testing site in Miami on March 18. In the first three days, it screened 700 patients and tested 170. The Doris Ison center in Cutler Bay is offering testing Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and is open to everyone, including Keys residents.
