JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When the doors opened Thursday at the Emmett Reed Community Center COVID-19 testing site, there was a long line, but as the day went on, that line became smaller and the wait times were not for hours.
The new site in Northwest Jacksonville was one of five testing locations that opened this week in Duval County.
One of those waiting Thursday at the site was Joshua Gatke. He and his 10-year-old daughter needed to be tested quickly because he is the service and both are flying out Friday to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
“It’s very important to get the test. I can’t get on a flight and I can’t go back to Guantánamo without having a negative result,” Gatke said.
Unfortunately for Gatke and his daughter, the test being offered by the health department at the site is not a rapid test and it could take several days for the results. He planned to check other sites to be tested.
News4Jax heard from many others who said the reason they went there to be tested was just to know if they are positive or not. Some were sent by their employers or school. Erin Huff was there to have her 9-year-old son tested.
“He says he has a sore throat, so the school sent me. He’s showing no symptoms that I’ve seen. I think he’s doing it to get out of school,” Huff said, jokingly.
Jeffery Pagam brought his family there to be tested.
“Just to get tested because COVID-19 is on the upturn right now. I’m actually vaccinated, but you just never know, so I just want to make sure we all get tested,” Pagam said.
The other health department site that opened Thursday is at the Cuba Hunter Community Center on the Southside. On Thursday, News4Jax saw no line outside and a few waiting inside the facility to be tested.
These two sites replace the Florida Department of Health in Duval County’s Central Health Plaza, which stopped testing the general public at that site on Wednesday.
Tawanda Washington, with the Duval County health department, is overseeing the operations at the sites.
“I would not say a lot more than usual, but we are seeing children. But we are open on Saturday, so we want to remind parents of that who want to come and get tested,” Washington said.
Doctors have told News4Jax that they are watching closely what happens with pediatric cases now that school is back in session.
Below is a guide to the new testing sites in Duval County, including hours and other details:
Clanzel T. Brown Community Center
- Address: 4545 Moncrief Road, Jacksonville, 32209
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
- Vaccine: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday
- Notes: No appointment required, port-a-potties on site, only PCR tests offered (no rapid tests)
Lane Wiley Senior Center
- Address: 6710 Wiley Road, Jacksonville, 32210
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
- Vaccine: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday
- Notes: No appointment required, port-a-potties on site, only PCR tests offered (no rapid tests)
Former Kmart Shopping Center
- Address: 540 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 32266
- Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday
- Vaccine: No vaccine offered
- Notes: Drive-thru; insured need insurance card, uninsured need Social Security number; only rapid tests offered at this time
Emmett Reed Community Center
- Address: 1093 W. 6th St., Jacksonville, 32209
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
- Vaccine: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
- Notes: No appointment required, only PCR tests offered (no rapid tests)
Cuba Hunter Community Center
- Address: 4380 Bedford Road, Jacksonville, 32207
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
- Vaccine: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
- Notes: No appointment required, only PCR tests offered (no rapid tests)