JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With the spread of the omicron variant and the holidays around the corner -- many people in Jacksonville were getting tested for COVID-19 Wednesday.
Doctors encourage you to get tested for COVID-19 to protect you and your family. News4JAX spoke with Bobby Livatt who got tested in Jacksonville at the Lane Wiley site said he’s doing it as a precaution.
News4JAX didn’t see much of a rush at Avecina Medical on Normandy Wednesday, but next door at the CVS, a line of cars drove up to the window -- the majority of them with people getting tested.
Not many of them wanted to talk about testing -- or the recent climb in COVID-19 cases. The omicron variant is making waves -- some research shows it spreads faster and is less severe, but can still fill hospitals.
“Well I don’t know but I’m just trying to make sure I’m taking care of myself and taking care of the children,” Livatt said.
If you test positive for COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control urges you to separate yourself from others, wear a mask, and clean your hands often. Don’t share household items with people in your home and disinfect your surfaces daily.
If you are fully vaccinated you don’t need to quarantine after coming in contact with someone who had COVID unless you have symptoms. You should get tested 5-7 days after exposure and wear a mask in public for 14 days or until you find out your test was negative.
While we may be eager to come together for the holidays -- it has to be done safely for the sake of your family. Click here for a list of testing sites in Jacksonville.
Some community centers are closed Thursday and Friday for the Christmas holiday. They’ll reopen on Monday.
You can try to find an at-home test kit, but they are in high demand, and chains like Walgreens and CVS have purchase limits.